{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2020}} '''Norman Alfred Lesser''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CMG|size=85%}} (16 March 1902 – 12 February 1985<ref>“Who was Who” 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 {{ISBN|978-0-19-954087-7}}</ref>) was an Anglican bishop and Archbishop of New Zealand from 1961 to 1971. He was the Bishop of Waiapu<ref>[http://www.napiercathedral.org.nz/history.php Lesser on the Waiapu Cathedral website]</ref> from 1947<ref>The Times, Tuesday, Dec 24, 1946; pg. 7; Issue 50642; col B ''Ecclesiastical News New Bishop Of Waiapu ''</ref> to 1971.
==Education and early ministry== [[File:St Johns Church, Dannevirke, New Zealand 43.JPG|thumb|Foundation stone at St Johns Church in Dannevirke laid by Norman Lesser]] He was educated at the Liverpool Collegiate Institution and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. He began his ecclesiastical career with a curacy at St Simon and St Jude, Anfield, Liverpool.<ref>Crockford's Clerical Directory1948 Oxford OUP 1947</ref> He then held similar posts at Holy Trinity, Formby and Liverpool Cathedral. In 1931 he became Vicar of St John, Barrow-in-Furness. From 1931 to 1939 he was Rector and Sub-Dean of Nairobi Cathedral and from then until his elevation to the Waiapu See its Provost.
==Episcopal ministry== Lesser succeeded Archbishop Reginald Herbert Owen as Primate of the Anglican Church of New Zealand on his death in 1961. Norman Lesser Drive in Auckland is named after him.
In the 1971 Queen's Birthday Honours, Lesser was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, for services as Primate and Archbishop of New Zealand.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=45386 |date=12 June 1971 |page=5997 |supp=3}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.kinderlibrary.ac.nz/files/documents/Alphabetical%20list%20of%20Anglican%20archives.pdf Lesser's Papers in the Anglican Church Archive Collection in the John Kinder Theological Library] *[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=109-mss_2&cid=-1#-1 Lesser's Papers] in The National Archives
{{s-start}} {{s-rel|en}} {{s-bef|before=George Cruickshank}} {{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Waiapu|years=1947–1971}} {{s-aft|after=Paul Reeves}} {{s-bef|before=Reginald Owen}} {{s-ttl|title=Archbishop of New Zealand|years=1961–1971}} {{s-aft|after=Allen Johnston}} {{end}} {{Bishops of Waiapu}} {{Primates and Archbishops of New Zealand}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lesser, Norman Alfred}} Category:1902 births Category:1985 deaths Category:People educated at Liverpool Collegiate Institution Category:Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Category:Provosts of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia Category:20th-century Anglican archbishops in New Zealand Category:Primates of New Zealand Category:Anglican bishops of Waiapu Category:New Zealand Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
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