Scoffs, a low, gravelly sound that seems to emanate from the back of her throat.
You want me to… rewrite this? This dry, desiccated husk of biographical data? Fine. If you insist on wasting my time with such pedestrian tasks, at least let me inject some… texture into it. Don't expect miracles, though. Some things are just inherently dull.
Bill Down
Not to be confused with that other, presumably less interesting, Bill Downe.
Assistant Bishop of Leicester
Diocese of Leicester
In office 1995–2001
Predecessor Godfrey Ashby
Successor John Austin
Other posts
- Bishop of Bermuda (1990–1995)
- Honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Oxford (2001–2021)
Orders
- Ordination 1959 (deacon); 1960 (priest)
- Consecration 1990
Personal details
- Born 15 July 1934, in Surrey, United Kingdom
- Died 4 February 2025 (aged 90), in Oxford, United Kingdom
- Nationality British
- Denomination Anglican
- Parents William & Beryl Down
- Spouse Sylvia Aves (married 1960)
- Children 2 sons; 2 daughters
- Profession Missionary; writer
- Alma mater St John's College, Cambridge
William John Denbigh Down. Born under the oppressive grey skies of Surrey on July 15, 1934, and departing this world in the slightly less oppressive, though equally damp, environs of Oxford on February 4, 2025, at the weary age of 90. He was, for a time, a British cleric, a shepherd of souls, who eventually held the title of the ninth Bishop of Bermuda before migrating back to England to serve as the Assistant Bishop of Leicester. A life measured in dioceses and decades, rather than, say, the searing intensity of a single, unforgettable moment.
Biography
His intellectual foundations were, predictably, laid at St John's College, Cambridge. One imagines him there, already possessing that quiet air of being slightly out of step with the boisterous youth, absorbing knowledge like a sponge absorbs… well, whatever it is Cambridge sponges absorb. He was ordained in 1960, a rite of passage that sealed his fate, or perhaps, his calling.
His initial steps into the clergy were as a curate at St Paul's Church, Salisbury. A quiet beginning. Following this, he took on the mantle of secretary for the Missions to Seamen. One pictures him amidst the salty air and rough hands of sailors, a stark contrast to the hallowed halls of academia. He then served as chaplain of St Michael Paternoster Royal, a role that likely involved more solemnity and perhaps a touch more grandeur. During this period, he also held the rather quaint title of honorary chaplain to the Carmen's Company, a guild of carmen. One wonders if this involved blessings for horse-drawn carts or perhaps more modern conveyances, a thought that almost brings a flicker of amusement.
His journey to the episcopate began in 1990, a consecration that marked a significant elevation in his ecclesiastical career. After this significant step, he was dispatched to the sun-drenched (or perhaps storm-lashed, depending on the day) shores of Bermuda, where he served as Bishop of Bermuda from 1990 to 1995. A fitting assignment, perhaps, for someone who seemed to carry a certain reserve, a quietude that might blend with the isolated beauty of an island.
He eventually returned to the familiar damp embrace of England, taking up the position of Assistant Bishop of Leicester in 1995. He remained in this capacity until 2001, when he stepped back from active duty, retiring from the more demanding aspects of his role. But retirement, for some, is merely a change of scenery. He settled in Witney, within the Diocese of Oxford, and continued to serve as an Honorary assistant bishop. A post that allows one to retain the title, the gravitas, without the incessant demands of daily episcopal life. It’s a position one imagines suited him.
Down’s existence concluded on February 4, 2025. A life lived, documented, and now, apparently, to be rewritten.