WHITEHEAD, LEWIS STANLEY (1889 - 1956), secretary of the Representative Body of the Church in Wales

Born 12 January 1889 in Stoke-on-Trent, son of George Whitehead. Four years later the family moved to Cardiff where he was educated at the High School. From 1910-16 he was manager of Rank Mills, Truro, and, indicative of his love of music, he became lay vicar choral of Truro and (later) Llandaff cathedral s. After serving with the Royal Flying Corps, 1916-19, he became assistant to Frank Morgan, Fellow of Keble College, Oxford, and secretary of the new Representative Body of the Church in Wales, whom he succeeded in 1935. Somewhat autocratic, like Frank Morgan, for his position gave him considerable power in administrative matters, he steered the Church in Wales through the difficult years of World War II and led a successful legal action against the Tithe Redemption Commission, 1943-44. He was recognized as the 'universal adviser' by the members of the ' Prayer Book and Nation Commission ', 1946-49; he administered the Church in Wales appeal in 1952-53, and the purchase of Bush House, one of the more successful investments by the Church in Wales in the property market. The later years were clouded by the long illness of his wife, Ada Marie (née Thomas). He died four months after her on 17 December 1956. His articles in Province on ' Frank Morgan ', ' Parsons' pay ', and ' Bush House ' are useful sources for the early history of the Representative Body.

Author

• Archdeacon Owain William Jones, (1922 - 1995)

Sources

• Western Mail, 18, 20 December 1956
• Province, Easter 1950, Christmas 1950, Easter 1955
• Denning, Landmarks in the law (London 1984)(1984)

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20746825

Published date: 2001

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/