{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = The Right Reverend | name = Victor Pike | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CB|CBE}} | image = | caption = | birth_name=Victor Joseph Pike | birth_date = {{birth date|1907|7|1|df=y}} | birth_place = Thurles, Ireland | death_date = {{death date and age|1986|2|25|1907|7|1|df=y}} | death_place = Salisbury, England | module = {{Infobox rugby biography | embed = yes | height = | weight = | university = Trinity College, Dublin | ru_currentclub = | position = Hooker | clubs1 = Lansdowne | clubs2 = Barbarian F.C. | years1 = | apps1 = | points1 = | ru_proclubupdate = | repyears1 = 1931-1934 | repteam1 = Ireland | repcaps1 = 13 | reppoints1 = 3 | ru_ntupdate = }} }} ''' Victor Joseph Pike''', CB, CBE<ref>[http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp81328 NPG details]</ref> (1 July 1907<ref>Who was Who1897-2007: London, A & C Black, 2008 {{ISBN|978-0-19-954087-7}}</ref> – 25 February 1986) was the Anglican Bishop of Sherborne<ref>''Bishop Of Sherborne Appointment Of The Ven. V. J. Pike (Official Appointments and Notices)'' The Times Wednesday, Feb 17, 1960; pg. 12; Issue 54697; col D</ref> in the third quarter of the 20th century. Pike was also an international rugby union player and represented Ireland in thirteen matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/player/3859.html|title=Victor Pike player profile|access-date=5 June 2012|publisher=Scrum.com}}</ref>

==Personal history== Pike was born in Thurles, North Tipperary in 1907. The son of clergyman William Pike and Florence Surridge, he was one of 11 children.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lansdownerugby.com/halloffame/details/pike|title=Victor Pike|publisher=lansdownerugby.com|access-date=5 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thepeerage.com/p1879.htm|title=Venerable Victor Joseph Pike|publisher=thepeerage.com|access-date=5 June 2012}}</ref> Educated at Trinity College, Dublin and ordained in 1930 his ministry began with a curacy at Dundrum, Dublin after which he began a long spell as a Chaplain in the British Army, rising eventually to become Chaplain-General.<ref>''New Chaplain-General (Official Appointments and Notices)'' The Times Monday, Jul 16, 1951; pg. 4; Issue 52054; col D</ref> After his death a trust was set up to assist the sons and daughters of the clergy.<ref>[http://www.saled.org/docs/bishop_pike_trust_application_form.doc Detailsof trust]</ref>

He married Dorothea Elizabeth Frend, and they had three children, Caroline (b. 1940), Jane (b. 1942) and Simon (b. 1948). In 1966, Caroline married Simon Alexander Bowes-Lyon, first cousin to Elizabeth II.

==Rugby career== Pike came from a sporting family, four of his brothers played rugby union for Lansdowne. His older brother Theodore was the most notable, having represented Ireland as a prop on eight occasions between 1927 and 1928. Pike joined Lansdowne during the 1930/31 season and gained his first international cap, against England, on 14 February 1931. Ireland won narrowly, and Pike retained his place as hooker for the rest of the 1931 Five Nations Championship, a win over Scotland but a loss to tournament winners Wales. In the Scotland match, Pike scored his only international points with a try.

Pike represented Ireland a total of 13 times, all consecutive. He faced the 1931 touring South Africa team, and then played in all nine matches of the 1932, 1933 and 1934 Home Nations Championships. During the 1932/33 season, Pike was chosen to play for invitational touring team, the Barbarians.<ref>{{cite book |last=Starmer-Smith |first=Nigel |title=The Barbarians |year=1977 |publisher=Macdonald & Jane's Publishers|page=228 |isbn=0-8600-7552-4}}</ref>

==Notes== {{Reflist}}

{{S-start}} {{S-rel|en}} {{S-bef|before=John Maurice Key}} {{S-ttl|title=Bishop of Sherborne|years=1960 &ndash;1976}} {{S-aft|after=John Dudley Galtrey Kirkham }} {{End}}

{{Bishops of Sherborne}}

{{Portal|Christianity}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pike, Victor Joseph}} Category:1907 births Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin Category:Church of England archdeacons (military) Category:Bishops of Sherborne Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath Category:1986 deaths Category:Honorary chaplains to the King Category:20th-century Church of England bishops Category:World War II chaplains Category:Irish rugby union players Category:Ireland international rugby union players Category:Lansdowne Football Club players Category:Barbarian F.C. players Category:Rugby union hookers Category:Chaplains General to the Forces Category:British Army personnel of World War II