Frederick Temple - Bishop of London 1885-1896
Frederick Temple was born on the Greek island of Santa Maura in 1821 and grew up in Devon. His family was not rich and he knew early on that he would have to earn his own living. He took the first step by winning a Blundell scholarship to Balliol College Oxford. He was elected a fellow at Balliol after achieving a double first and four years later was ordained.
The following years he held various positions including a school-inspectorship (his travelling desk is on display in the Museum) and Chaplain-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria. In 1885 he was appointed Bishop of London and although many of his clergy criticised him for enforcing unbearable standards of accuracy, diligence and preaching efficiency, he won the hearts of many through his devotion to his work and passion for the good of the people. During his time at Fulham Palace he gave up the West Meadow to enlarge the proposed Bishop’s Park, the Bishop’s Meadow had already been given by Bishop Jackson in 1883. The new park eventually opened in 1893.
Temple worked long days, fourteen or fifteen hours, and under the strain he was rapidly going blind. Towards the end of his bishopric in London he offered to resign due to his growing blindness but was urged to reconsider. He held his position until 1896 when, upon the death of Edward White Benson, he accepted the see of Canterbury. Temple died in 1902 and is buried in Canterbury Cathedral. William Temple, his second son, became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1942. So far they are the only father and son to have achieved this.