Anthony Bird
| The Reverend Anthony Bird | |
|---|---|
| Principal of Queen's College, Birmingham | |
| Church | Church of England |
| Diocese | Diocese of Birmingham |
| In office | 1974 to 1979 |
| Predecessor | John Habgood |
| Successor | Gordon Wakefield |
| Other posts | Vice-Principal of Cuddesdon College (1961–1964) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination |
1957 (deacon) 1958 (priest) |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Anthony Peter Bird |
| Born |
1931 Wolverhampton, England |
| Died | 16 May 2016 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Anglicanism |
| Children | Three |
| Education | St John's School, Leatherhead |
| Alma mater |
St John's College, Oxford Cuddesdon College University of Birmingham |
Anthony Peter Bird (1931 – 2016) was a British Anglican priest, physician, and academic. From 1974 to 1979, he was Principal of Queen's College, Birmingham, an ecumenical theological college.[1][2]
Early life and education
Bird was born in 1931 in Wolverhampton, England.[1][2] His father Harry was a parish priest, and his mother Noel (née Oakley) was a teacher.[1] He was brought up in his father's vicarage in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.[3] He was educated at St John's School, Leatherhead, an independent school in Leatherhead, Surrey.[1]
Bird studied classics at St John's College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1954;[1][2] as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree in 1957.[2] He remained at St John's to study theology and graduated with a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree in 1955.[2] He trained for ordination at Cuddesdon College, an Anglican theological college in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, between 1955 and 1957.[1][2]
Career
Ordained ministry
Bird was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1957 and as a priest in 1958.[2] He served his curacy at St Mary's Church, Stafford in the Diocese of Lichfield between 1957 and 1960.[2] In 1960, he returned to his alma mater and was chaplain of Cuddesdon College for the next year.[1][2] From 1961 to 1964, he was Vice-Principal of the theological college.[2]
From 1964 to 1968, while studying medicine at the University of Birmingham, he was a curate at St Wulstan's Church, Bournbrook.[1][2] From 1968 to 1979, he held permission to officiate in the Diocese of Birmingham in addition to his work as a GP and then as an academic.[2] From 1974 to 1979, he was Principal of Queen's College, Birmingham, an ecumenical theological college.[1][2] At Queen's College, he led seminars in ethics, in addition to leading the training priests and ministers for a range of Christian denominations.[1]
Medical career
Bird studied medicine at the University of Birmingham, and graduated with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degrees in 1970.[2] He trained as a general practitioner (GP) and worked in the King's Norton area of Birmingham until he returned to academia in 1974.[1] He once again became a full-time GP in 1979, and ran an "experimental medical practice" in Balsall Heath, Birmingham until he retired in 1996.[1]
Later life
From retirement until his death, Bird held permission to officiate in the Diocese of Birmingham.[2] He died on 16 May 2016, aged 85 years, from pancreatic cancer.[3][4] His funeral was held on 3 June 2016 at St Paul's Church, Balsall Heath.[4]
Personal life
Bird was twice married. He had three children with his first wife; Markus, Stephanie and Dominic. After divorcing, he married his second wife, Andrea.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Nankivell, Christopher (26 June 2016). "The Rev Dr Anthony Bird obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Anthony Peter Bird". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 16 July 2016. (subscription required)
- 1 2 Nankivell, C. R. T. (24 June 2016). "The Revd Dr Anthony Peter Bird". The Church Times. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- 1 2 "BIRD: Obituary". Birmingham Mail. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Habgood |
Principal of Queen's College, Birmingham 1974 to 1979 |
Succeeded by Gordon Wakefield |