Wilfred John Simkin CMG (15 June 1883 – 8 July 1967) was the 6th Anglican Bishop of Auckland whose episcopate spanned a 20-year period during the middle of the 20th century. Born in Staffordshire he was educated at St. Oswald's School, (later Ellesmere College, Ellesmere, Shropshire) and Lichfield Theological College before embarking on an ecclesiastical career with a curacy at Christ Church, Stafford. Emigrating to New Zealand in 1911 he was successively Vicar of Wairoa, Private Chaplain to the Bishop of Waiapu and Archdeacon of Hawkes Bay/Manukau before appointment to the See of Auckland in 1940. He was consecrated bishop on 11 June 1940. An enigmatic man, he worked tirelessly to complete the building of Holy Trinity Cathedral.
In the 1965 Queen's Birthday Honours, Simkin was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, for services to the community.
References
- The Times, Friday, 10 June 1960; pg. 11; Issue 54794; col C Resignation of the Bishop of Auckland
- Davidson (ed.), Living Legacy: a History of the Diocese of Auckland, 208
- "Who was Who" 1897–1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 ISBN 0-7136-3457-X
- Parish details
- Order of ceremonial for the consecration of the Ven. William John Simkin, L.Th., Archdeacon of Manukau, as Bishop of the Diocese of Auckland: In the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary, Auckland, on the Feast of Saint Barnabas, June 11th, 1940 at 10 a.m. 1940.
- Diocesan Profile
- "No. 43669". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 12 June 1965. p. 5513.
| Anglican Communion titles | ||
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| Preceded byAlfred Walter Averill | Bishop of Auckland, NZ 1940–1960 |
Succeeded byEric Austin Gowing |
| Anglican Bishops of Auckland | |
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- 1883 births
- People from Rugeley
- Anglican archdeacons in New Zealand
- Anglican bishops of Auckland
- English emigrants to New Zealand
- New Zealand Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
- 1965 deaths
- 20th-century Anglican bishops in New Zealand
- Alumni of Lichfield Theological College
- New Zealand religious biography stubs
- Anglican bishop stubs