Leonard Beecher

{{Short description|Anglican archbishop (1906–1987)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Archbishop | honorific_prefix = The Most Reverend | name = Leonard Beecher | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CMG|size=100%}}, {{post-nominals|country=GBR|ARCS|size=100%}}, {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRAI|size=100%}} | title = Archbishop of East Africa,<br /> Bishop of Nairobi | image = The National Archives UK - CO 1069-164-6.jpg | alt = | caption = Beecher being blessed by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, after having been installed the first Archbishop of East Africa in 1960, at St Alban's Church, Dar es Salaam | church = Church of the Province of East Africa | archdiocese = | diocese = | elected = 7 April 1960 | enthroned = 3 August 1960 | retired = 3 August 1970 | see = | predecessor = Reginald Crabbe, ''as Bishop of Mombasa'' | successor = Festo Olang', ''as Archbishop of Kenya''<br />John Sepeku, ''as Archbishop of Tanzania'' | other_post =  | module = {{Ordination | embed = yes | expand = ALL | denomination = Anglican | ordained deacon by = Richard Heywood | date of diaconal ordination = 1929 | place of diaconal ordination = Cathedral of the Highlands, Diocese of Mombasa | ordained priest by = Richard Heywood | date of priestly ordination = 1931 | place of priestly ordination = Cathedral of the Highlands, Diocese of Mombasa | consecrated by = Geoffrey Fisher | co-consecrators = William Wand, Edward Woods, Christopher Chavasse, Bertram Simpson, John Jones, Hugh Gough, George Ingle, Richard Heywood; John Willis; George Wright; William Stanton Jones, and John Mann. | date of consecration = 25 July 1950 | place of consecration = St Paul's Cathedral, Diocese of London }}  | birth_date = {{birth date|1906|05|21|df=yes}} | birth_place = Deptford, London, United Kingdom | death_date = {{death date and age|1987|12|16|1906|05|21|df=yes}} | death_place = Nairobi, Republic of Kenya | spouse = {{marriage|Gladys Sybil Bazett Leakey|1930|April 10, 1982|end=died}} | children = 3 | education = Imperial College, University of London {{small|(BSc, MA)}}<br />London Day Training College, University of London {{small|(Teacher's Certificate)}}<br />Lambeth Degree {{small|(DD)}} | previous_post = Mombasa (asst.); IV Mombasa }} '''Leonard James Beecher''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CMG}}, {{post-nominals|country=GBR|ARCS}}, {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRAI}} (21 May 1906{{snd}}16 December 1987) was an English-born Anglican archbishop.<ref>[http://www.allsaintsnairobi.org/about-all-saints.html?start=8 All Saints Nairobi] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512004047/http://www.allsaintsnairobi.org/about-all-saints.html?start=8 |date=2011-05-12 }}</ref> He was the first archbishop of the Province of East Africa, comprising Kenya and Tanzania, from 1960 to 1970.

==Education and training== He was educated at St. Olave's Grammar School and Imperial College London, ordained deacon in 1929 and priest in 1931.<ref>Who was Who 1897–1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 {{ISBN|0-7136-3457-X}}.</ref><ref>Crockford's Clerical Directory1940–1941 Oxford, OUP,1941</ref><ref name="obit">{{Church Times | title = Archbishop Beecher | archive = 1987_12_24_012 | issue = 6515 | date = 24 December 1987 | page = 12 | accessed = 28 October 2019 }}</ref> He became an Associate of the Royal College of Science (ARCS) in 1926 and made a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute (FRAI) in 1928.

==Missionary in Africa== He was a missionary of the Church Mission Society in the Diocese of Mombasa from 1930, working in the Highlands.<ref>Gordon Hewitt, ''The Problems of Success: A History of the Church Missionary Society 1910-1942'' (1971) Vol. I p. 132.</ref> He was appointed Archdeacon of Mombasa and a Canon (both 1945–1953)<ref>{{Who's Who | id= U161894 | title=Beecher, Leonard James }}</ref> and an Assistant Bishop of Mombasa:<ref>''Ecclesiastical News Assistant Bishop in Mombasa '' The Times Thursday, 23 March 1950; p. 8; Issue 51647; col C</ref> he was consecrated a bishop on St James's Day 1950 (25 July) by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, at St Paul's Cathedral.<ref>{{Church Times | title = Consecations at St Paul's | archive = 1950_07_28_558 | issue = 4564 | date = 28 July 1950 | page = 558 | accessed = 28 October 2019 }}</ref> He became diocesan Bishop of Mombasa in 1953<ref>The Times, Friday, 27 February 1953; p. 8; Issue 52557; col E '' Bishop Of Mombasa''</ref> and — additionally — Archbishop of the Province of East Africa, from 1960 to 1970:<ref>''Ecclesiastical News Archbishop-Designate Of East Africa '' The Times Thursday, 5 May 1960; p. 16; Issue 54763; col E</ref> he was elected (by the House of Bishops of the province-to-be)<ref>{{Church Times | title = Primate's Summer Tour of New East African Province | archive = 1960_05_13_014 | issue = 5074 | date = 13 May 1960 | page = 14 | accessed = 28 October 2019 }}</ref> to serve as the first archbishop in April 1960<ref>{{Church Times | title = New Primate of East Africa | archive = 1960_05_06_001 | issue = 5073 | date = 6 May 1960 | page = 1 | accessed = 28 October 2019 }}</ref> and installed by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, at the new province's inauguration service on 3 August 1960 at Dar-es-Salaam.<ref>{{Church Times | title = Inauguration of New Church Province of East Africa | archive = 1960_08_12_001 | issue = 5087 | date = 12 August 1960 | page = 1 | accessed = 28 October 2019 }}</ref>

==Later life== A prominent member of the Royal African Society,<ref>[https://archive.today/20120726101408/http://afraf.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/70/280/289 African Affairs]</ref> he retired in 1970 and died on 16 December 1987. He is buried in the cemetery at All Saints, Limuru.<ref>[http://www.eamemorials.co.uk/EAMemorials/KENYA/Limuru%20All%20Saints/AllSaintsChurch14.htm Photo of grave]</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ac}} {{s-new | rows=2}} {{s-ttl | title= Archbishop of East Africa| years=1960–1970 | rows=2}} {{s-aft| after= Festo Olang' | as=Archbishop of Kenya | rows=1}} {{s-aft| after= John Sepeku | as=Archbishop of Tanzania | rows=1}} {{s-new | rows=1}} {{s-ttl | title= Bishop of Nairobi| years=1964–1970}} {{s-aft| after= Festo Olang' | rows=1}} {{s-bef| before= Reginald Crabbe}} {{s-ttl | title= Bishop of Mombasa| years=1953–1964}} {{s-aft | after= Peter Mwang'ombe}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beecher, Leonard James}} Category:1906 births Category:1987 deaths Category:20th-century Anglican archbishops Category:Alumni of Imperial College London Category:Anglican archbishops of East Africa Category:Archdeacons of Mombasa Category:Associates of the Royal College of Science Category:Anglican bishops of Mombasa Category:Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Category:English Anglicans Category:Holders of a Lambeth degree Category:People educated at St Olave's Grammar School Category:Anglican bishops of Nairobi