{{Short description|Church of England Bishop}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox Christian leader | title = Bishop of Southwell | image = Russell Barry 002.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Barry in 1948 | diocese = Diocese of Southwell | term = 1941–1963 | predecessor = Henry Mosley | successor = Gordon Savage | other_post = {{unbulleted list|Archdeacon in Egypt (1923)|Vicar of St Mary's, Oxford (1928–1933)|Canon of Westminster (1933–1941)}} <!---------- Orders ----------> | ordination = 1914; 1915 | ordained_by = | consecration = 18 October 1941 | consecrated_by = William Temple <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_date = {{birth date|1890|1|28|df=y}} | birth_place = Rochester, Kent, UK | death_date = {{death date and age|1976|10|24|1890|1|28|df=y}} | death_place = City of Westminster, UK | buried = | nationality = British | religion = Anglican | residence = | parents = George Duncan Barry (priest) | spouse = Lilian Gray | children = One daughter | occupation = | profession = Theologian (New Testament interpretation) | education = | alma_mater = Oriel College, Oxford }} {{Portal|Christianity}}
'''Frank Russell Barry''' (28 January 1890{{snd}}24 October 1976)<ref name="ww">{{Who's Who | year= 2007 | title = Barry, Rt Rev. (Frank) Russell | id= U152067 | doi= 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U152067 }}</ref> was an Anglican bishop and author who served as Bishop of Southwell for over 20 years in the middle of the 20th century.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/religion-obituaries/8230288/The-Reverend-Dr-John-Bowden.html Telegraph Obituary – John Bowden]</ref><ref>Amongst others he wrote "One Clear Call", 1922; ”The Relevance of Christianity", 1931; "The Relevance of the Church", 1935; "Faith in Dark Ages", 1940; “Mervyn Haigh”, 1964;and “ Period of My Life" 1974 British Library Catalogue accessed 15:20 May 31st 2008</ref><ref>The Times, Monday, 8 December 1941; p. 6; Issue 49103; col D ''Ecclesiastical News Bishop of Southwell Nominated''</ref>
==Family and education== Born in Rochester, Kent, Barry was the son of another priest, George Duncan Barry, who served as curate of St Peter's Rochester then of St Mark's Surbiton,<ref name="odnb">{{Cite ODNB|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/67071|title=Barry, (Frank) Russell}}</ref> and was later Rector of Bratton Fleming;<ref name="ww" /> and his wife Edith née Reid; his brother was the journalist Gerald Barry.<ref name="odnb" /> He was educated at Bradfield College before studying Classics (literae humaniores) at Oriel College, Oxford. He became a Fellow and Lecturer at Oriel in 1913, which role he retained throughout his wartime service, until his move to Oxford. He was made deacon on Trinity Sunday 1914 (7 June),<ref>{{Church Times | title = Ordinations on Trinity Sunday | archive = 1914_06_12_840 | issue = 2681 | date = 12 June 1914 | page = 840 | accessed = 17 August 2024 }}</ref> then ordained priest the following Trinity (30 May 1915) — both times by Charles Gore, Bishop of Oxford, at Cuddesdon Parish Church; very exceptionally, he was not ordained to a title post but to officiate throughout the diocese.<ref>{{Church Times | title = The Trinity Ordinations | archive = 1915_06_04_618 | issue = 2732 | date = 4 June 1915 | page = 618 | accessed = 17 August 2024 }}</ref> In 1929, he married Lilian Janet Gray; they had one child, a daughter.<ref name="ww" />
==Wartime service== During the Great War he had two interviews for a commission as a Temporary Chaplain to the Forces. He was unsuccessful at his first interview in October, 1914, but was appointed in November, 1915.<ref>Index Card, Museum of Army Chaplaincy</ref> As TCF he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Mentioned in Despatches. The citation for his DSO referred to his actions near Mouquet Farm during the Battle of the Somme. 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He tended and dressed the wounded under very heavy fire with the greatest courage and determination. He set a splendid example throughout the operation'.<ref>London Gazette, 24 November 1916</ref> He was also awarded the Montenegrin medal.<ref name="ww" /> During the War, he was part of the beginnings of what would become the Ordination Test School.<ref name="odnb" /> ==Presbyteral ministry== Although only 28 when the War ended, Barry had been promoted from 4th Class to 2nd Class within the Chaplaincy and, in 1919, became Principal of Knutsford Ordination Test School. In 4 years, about 700 men would be trained for ordination, and they would serve as clergymen into the 1970s.<ref>'Period of My Life' by FR Barry, Hodder and Stoughton, 1960</ref> In 1923, Barry was appointed Archdeacon in Egypt<ref name="CT obit">{{Church Times | title = in memoriam: Bishop Russell Barry | archive = 1976_10_29_004 | issue = 5933 | date = 29 October 1976 | page = 4 | accessed = 17 August 2024 }}</ref> and Chaplain of All Saints', Cairo (Anglican Diocese of Egypt); but returned to England the same year to become Professor of ''New Testament Interpretation'' at King's College London. Later, in 1929, he was honoured with a Fellowship of King's College London (FKC).<ref name="ww" />
In 1928, he left London to become Vicar of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin and a Fellow and Tutor of Balliol College, Oxford. He returned to London in 1933 to serve as a Canon of Westminster Abbey: throughout this time he was also Rector of St John's, Smith Square, and he additionally served as Sub-Dean of the Abbey from 1940 until his appointment as a bishop ended all of his Westminster roles.<ref>Crockford's Clerical Directory 1975-76. London: Oxford University Press, 1976. {{ISBN|0-19-200008-X}}</ref> He was also a Chaplain to the King, 1930–1941, and Canon Theologian of Liverpool Cathedral, 1932–1933.<ref name="ww" /> On 10 May 1941, his house at Westminster Abbey, and all his possessions, were destroyed by a bomb while he was on watch at the Abbey.<ref name="odnb" />
==Episcopal ministry== Barry was appointed Bishop of Southwell, the diocesan bishop (Ordinary) of the Diocese of Southwell in 1941.<ref name="ww" /> He was duly consecrated to the episcopate on St Luke's Day, 18 October 1941, at York Minster, by William Temple, Archbishop of York.<ref>{{Church Times | title = Consecration in York Minster | archive = 1941_10_24_617 | issue = 4109 | date = 24 October 1941 | page = 617 | accessed = 13 August 2024 }}</ref> He served there for 22 years before retiring to Borrowdale; he resigned his See in October 1963.<ref>{{Church Times | title = £2,250 Cheque for the Bishop of Southwell | archive = 1963_10_11_008 | issue = 5252 | date = 11 October 1963 | page = 8 | accessed = 13 August 2024 }}</ref> During his episcopate, his hearing loss worsened and he suffered depression; he was a notable liberal and theologically progressive on matters such as homosexuality and remarriage of divorcés.<ref name="odnb" /> ==Death and legacy== In retirement, he divided his time between a house in the Lake District and a flat in Westminster, where he died on 24 October 1976, following a coronary in June that year. He was buried in Borrowdale churchyard rather than his further cathedral at Southwell Minster,<ref name="odnb" /> where there is nonetheless a memorial plaque.
He was honoured by the universities of St Andrews and Nottingham and by Lambeth as a Doctor of Divinity. As an academic theologian, he was extensively published;<ref name="ww" /> as both writer and preacher, his specialism was the popular exposition of Christianity — his most noted work was ''The Relevance of Christianity'' (1931). In 1923, he was one of the authors — with his friend Mervyn Haigh — of ''A New Prayer Book'' (called ''the Grey Book''), one of several proposed drafts in the development of the abortive 1928 prayer book. Barry also served on the archbishops' commission on doctrine starting in 1923.<ref name="odnb" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Russell Barry (bishop)}} * [http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portraitLarge/mw240363/Frank-Russell-Barry?LinkID=mp75039&role=sit&rNo=2 National Portrait Gallery: Portrait by Walter Stoneman of Russell Barry as Bishop of Southwell, 1946]
{{S-start}} {{S-rel|en}} {{S-bef|before=Henry Mosley}} {{S-ttl|title=Bishop of Southwell|years=1941–1963}} {{S-aft|after=Gordon Savage}} {{S-end}} {{Bishops of Southwell}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Barry, Russell}} Category:1890 births Category:People educated at Bradfield College Category:Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Category:Fellows of Balliol College, Oxford Category:Academics of King's College London Category:Fellows of King's College London Category:Anglican archdeacons in Africa Category:Bishops of Southwell Category:20th-century Church of England bishops Category:Holders of a Lambeth degree Category:1976 deaths Category:British Army personnel of World War I Category:Royal Army Chaplains' Department officers Category:Honorary chaplains to the King Category:Canons of Westminster