William Streatfeild

William Champion Streatfeild (1 September 1865^[1] – 15 February 1929) was the Anglican Bishop of Lewes.^[2] He was a descendant of the historic Streatfeild family, the father of the novelist Noel Streatfeild,^[3] and appears as the beloved but over-saintly father of the heroine, Victoria, in her autobiographical novel A Vicarage Family.

William Champion Streatfeild

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Biography

William was the eldest son of the Rev. William Champion Streatfeild^[4] (1839–1912) and Selina Frances Diana Leveson-Gower (1840–1916), and was educated at Marlborough and Pembroke College, Cambridge before being ordained in 1890.^[5] His ministry began with a curacy at Sittingbourne under his father-in-law, Henry Venn, after which he was Curate to his own father in Frant, Sussex.^[4] He then began a long period as Incumbent at several Sussex parishes: Amberley (with Houghton), St Leonards-on-Sea from 1902,^[6] and Eastbourne (where he was also Rural Dean).^[1] He was elevated to the episcopate in December 1928 but only served as bishop for two months until his death.

Memorial within Chichester Cathedral

A small brass memorial to him lies in the north aisle of Chichester Cathedral.^[7]

Family

William's father, the Rev. William Champion Streatfeild, was the sometime Vicar of Howick, Ryton-on-Tyne, Kings Worthy and Frant.^[4]

William married Janet Venn (1873–1952), daughter of Henry Venn, under whom William was curate in Sittingbourne, on 7 September 1893. Janet was from a strong evangelical family. Her great grandfather John Venn was one of the founders and her grandfather (Henry Venn) honorary secretary of the Church Missionary Society (CMS). Her uncle, John Venn was the mathematician famous for Venn diagrams.

Two of William's brothers, Rev Claude Streatfeild (1870–1951) and Rev Roland Harry Streatfeild (1871–1952) were also Church of England Clergymen. Roland was curate to William in Eastbourne.

One of William's daughters was the children's novelist Noel Streatfeild (1895–1986) and another the artist Ruth Gervis (1894–1988).

William died on 15 February 1929 aged 63 while travelling on the 9.29 train from Lewes to Eastbourne for a dental appointment, three days after his diocesan bishop Winfrid Oldfield Burrows. ^[8]

Ancestry and descendants

Ancestors of William Streatfeild

16. Sandeforth Streatfeild 8. Rev Thomas Streatfeild 17. Frances Hussey 4. William Champion Streatfeild 18. Alexander Champion 9. Harriet Champion 19. Ann Platt 2. Rev William Champion Streatfeild 20. William Storrs Fry 10. Joseph Fry 21. Elizabeth Lambert 5. Hannah Fry 22. John Gurney 11. Elizabeth Gurney 23. Catherine Bell 1. Rt Rev William Champion Streatfeild 24. Rear-Admiral John Leveson-Gower 12. William Leveson-Gower 25. Frances Boscawen 6. William Leveson-Gower 26. John Gresham 13. Katherine Maria Gresham 27. Henrietta Maria Clayton 3. Selina Leveson-Gower 28. Welbore Ellis Doyle 14. Francis Hastings Doyle 29. Frances Rainford 7. Emily Josephine Eliza Doyle 30. William Mordaunt Milner, 3rd Bt 15. Diana Elizabeth Milner 31. Diana Sturt

Notes

1. Who was Who 1897–2007: London, A & C Black, 2008 ISBN 978-0-19-954087-7
2. "Obituaries: The Bishop Of Lewes. Long Service In Sussex Parishes". The Times. No. 45129, col A. 16 February 1929. p. 7.
3. "Noel Streatfeild's Life". White Gauntlet. 4 April 2004.
4. "Obituaries: The Rev. W. C. Streatfeild". The Times. No. 39974, col D. 10 August 1912. p. 9.
5. "Streatfeild, William Champion (STRT857WC)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
6. "Ecclesiastical intelligence". The Times. No. 36732. 3 April 1902. p. 5.
7. British History On-line
8. "The Bishop of Lewes – Sudden Death in a Train". The Times. No. 45129, col F. 16 February 1929. p. 12.

Church of England titles
Preceded by Thomas William Cook	Bishop of Lewes 1928–1929	Succeeded by Hugh Maudslay Hordern