Colin James (bishop)

James was born on 20 September 1926.[1] He was educated at Aldenham School and King's College, Cambridge. He was ordained a deacon at Trinitytide 1952[2] and priest a year later,[3] both by William Wand, Bishop of London, at St Paul's Cathedral.[2][3] His ordained ministry which began with a curacy at Stepney, after which he was a chaplain of Stowe School.[4]

Following his title, he was a producer of religious programmes for the BBC[5] and then (his final appointment before being ordained to the episcopate) vicar of St Peter's Bournemouth.[6] James was the first suffragan Bishop of Basingstoke in the Diocese of Winchester, beginning with his consecration as a bishop on 2 February 1973 at St Paul's Cathedral by Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury.[7] He held his suffragan bishopric with a residentiary canonry of Winchester Cathedral.[1]

He was translated to become diocesan Bishop of Wakefield[8] and was enthroned at Wakefield Cathedral on 9 February 1977.[9] He was returned to the Diocese of Winchester as the diocesan Bishop of Winchester;[10] he was enthroned at Winchester Cathedral on 28 June 1985,[11] having been elected two weeks prior[11] and confirmed (officially becoming the Bishop) at some intervening point. He retired in April 1995.[12]

He died on 10 December 2009.[13]