Trevor Huddleston
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Trevor Huddleston (June 15, 1913, – April 20, 1998), was an Anglican priest, one-time Archbishop of Mauritius and the Indian Ocean, and most famous for his anti-Apartheid activism.
Born in Bedford, England he was educated at the prestigious Lancing College then Christ Church, Oxford and at Wells Theological College. He joined the Anglican religious order, the Community of the Resurrection (CR) in 1939, having already served for two years as a curate at St. Mark's, Swindon.
In 1943, he went to the CR mission station at Rosettenville, Sophiatown (Johannesburg, South Africa). Over the course of the next 13 years, he developed into a much-loved priest and respected anti-Apartheid activist, earning him the nickname Makhalipile ("dauntless one"). He fought tirelessly against the vicious Apartheid laws. In 1955, the ANC gave him the rare honour of bestowing on him the title "Isitwalandwe", at the famous Freedom Congress in Kliptown.
His order asked him to return to England in 1956, where he worked as the Master of Novices at the CR's Mirfield centre (West Yorkshire) for a few years. He was consecrated Bishop of Masasi (Tanzania) in 1960, where he worked for eight years, before becoming Bishop of Stepney (London, England). After ten years in England, he was consecrated Bishop of Mauritius (1978), and was then elected Archbishop of the Province of the Indian Ocean.
After his retirement from episcopal office in 1983 he threw himself into anti-Apartheid work outside of South Africa, having become President of the Anti-Apartheid movement in 1981.
In 1994 received high honours from Tanzania (Torch of Kilimanjaro), and was awarded the Indira Gandhi Award for Peace, Disarmament, and Development. He was knighted by the Queen in 1998 (KCMG, "Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George").
Famous quote: "God bless Africa, Guard her people, Guide her leaders, And give her peace."
Famous book: Naught for your comfort (Collins, 1956)
- Audio samples
- Obituary by Aelred Stubbs
- The Life and Work of Archbishop Trevor Huddleston: links and biography on ANC website
- Items from the Press on the Death of Archbishop Trevor Huddleston: ANC website
- Trevor Huddleston CR Memorial Centre, Sophiatown, Johannesburg, South Africa
Categories: Non-South African anti-apartheid activists | Members of Anglican religious orders | Bishops of Stepney | Anglican bishops by diocese in India and Asia | Anglican archbishops in Asia | Christianity in Africa | South African Anglicans | English Anglicans | Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford | 1913 births | 1998 deaths