Tim Stratford

{{Short description|British Anglican priest and author}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Priest | honorific_prefix = [[The Very Reverend]] [[Doctor of Philosophy|Dr]] | name = Tim Stratford | honorific_suffix = | title = [[Dean of Chester]] | image = Deacons in garth (53018127104) (Tim Stratford cropped).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Stratford in 2023 | church = [[Church of England]] | province = | diocese = | term = 2018 to present | predecessor = [[Gordon McPhate]] | successor = | other_post = [[Archdeacon of Leicester]] (2012–2018)  | ordination = 1986 (deacon) <br /> 1987 (priest) | ordained_by = | consecration = | consecrated_by = | laicized =  | birth_name = Timothy Richard Stratford | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|26 February 1961}} | baptised = Liverpool, England | birth_place =  | death_date =  | death_place =  | buried =  | resting_place_coordinates = | nationality = British | religion = [[Anglicanism]] | residence = | parents = | spouse =  | children = | occupation = | profession =  | education = | alma_mater = }} ''' Timothy Richard Stratford ''' (born 26 February 1961) is an [[Anglican]] [[priest]] and author.<ref>[http://www.stmartinshouse.com/?p=505 St Martin's House]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-01-05 |title=Sin? People think it's about sex and cream cakes, says Archdeacon in baptism service row |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10552285/Sin-People-think-its-about-sex-and-cream-cakes-says-Archdeacon-in-baptism-service-row.html |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=The Telegraph |language=en}}</ref> Since 2018, he has been [[Dean of Chester]] in the [[Church of England]]. He was previously [[Archdeacon of Leicester]] from 2012 to 2018.

==Early life and education== Stratford was born on 26 February 1961 in [[Liverpool]], England. He was educated at [[Lord Derby Academy|Knowsley Hey School]], a [[comprehensive school]] in [[Huyton]], Merseyside. He studied at the [[University of Leicester]], graduating with a [[Bachelor of Science]] (BSc) degree in 1982, and trained for ordination at [[Wycliffe Hall, Oxford]].<ref name="WW 20">{{cite web |title=Stratford, Very Rev. Dr Timothy Richard, (born 26 Feb. 1961), Dean of Chester, since 2018 |url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U258178 |website=[[Who's Who 2020]] |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=16 May 2021 |language=en |date=1 December 2019}}</ref> He later studied for a [[Doctor of Philosophy]] (PhD) degree at the [[University of Sheffield]], submitting his doctorate in 2008: his thesis was titled "Urban liturgy in the Church of England: a historical, theological and anthropological analysis of the mid-Victorian slum priest [[ritualists]] and their legacy".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stratford |first1=Timothy Richard |title=Urban liturgy in the Church of England : a historical, theological and anthropological analysis of the mid-Victorian slum priest ritualists and their legacy |url=https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.489072 |website=E-Thesis Online Service |publisher=The British Library Board |access-date=16 May 2021 |date=2008}}</ref>

==Ordained ministry== He was [[ordained]] [[deacon]] in 1986 and [[priest]] in 1987.<ref>{{Crockford | forenames = Tim | surname = Stratford | id = 26068 | accessed = 5 May 2017 }}</ref> After [[Curate|curacies]] in [[Mossley Hill]] and [[St Helens, Merseyside|St Helens]] he was [[chaplain]] to [[David Sheppard]], [[Bishop of Liverpool]] from 1991 to 1994. He was [[vicar]] of [[West Derby]] from 1994 to 2003;<ref>{{Who's Who | title=Stratford, Timothy Richard | id = U258178 | volume = 2019 | edition = 1 December 2018 online | access-date = 28 January 2019 }}</ref> and [[team rector]] of [[Kirkby]] from 2003 to 2012. He was [[Archdeacon of Leicester]] from 2012<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-07-15 |title=New Archdeacon of Leicester – St. Andrew's {{!}} St. Chad's {{!}} St. Martin's |url=https://www.cofekirkby.co.uk/2012/07/15/new-archdeacon-of-leicester/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |language=en-GB}}</ref> until his installation as [[Dean of Chester]] on 8 September 2018.<ref>[http://chester.anglican.org/news/new-dean-of-chester-cathedral-announced.php Diocese of Chester — New Dean of Chester Cathedral announced] (Accessed 10 April 2018)</ref>

On 7 June 2024, he officiated the wedding of [[Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster]] and [[Olivia Grace Henson]].<ref name= harpers>{{cite web | url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a61026400/who-is-olivia-henson-duchess-of-westminster/ | title=Who is Olivia Henson, the New Duchess of Westminster? | date=7 June 2024 }}</ref>

==Personal life== In 1986, Stratford married Jennifer. They have three sons.<ref name="WW 20" />

==Selected works== Amongst others he has written:<ref>[[British Library]] web site accessed 19:18 [[GMT]] Monday, 6 July 2009</ref> * ''Interactive Preaching'' (1998) * ''Liturgy and Technology'' (1999) * ''Liturgy and Urban Mission'' (2002) * ''Using Common Worship: a service of the word'' (2002) * ''Worship Window of the Urban Church'' (2006)

==References== {{Portal|Christianity}} {{Reflist}} {{S-start}} {{S-rel|en}} {{S-bef|before=[[Richard Atkinson (bishop)|Richard Atkinson]] }} {{S-ttl|title=[[Archdeacon of Leicester]] |years=2012–2018}} {{S-aft|after=[[Richard Worsfold]]}} {{S-bef|before=[[Gordon McPhate]]}} {{S-ttl|title=[[Dean of Chester]]|years=2018–present}} {{S-inc}} {{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stratford, Timothy Richard}} [[Category:1961 births]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of York]] [[Category:Alumni of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford]] [[Category:People educated at Lord Derby Academy]] [[Category:Archdeacons of Leicester]] [[Category:Deans of Chester]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Sheffield]]