William Chalmers (bishop)

{{Short description|Anglican bishop in Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2017}} {{Portal|Christianity}} '''William Chalmers''' (1833 – 13 November 1901) was a missionary who became an Anglican bishop in Australia.<ref>''A Goodly Heritage: A History of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn'', "William Chalmers, Second Bishop of Goulburn 1892-1901", The Southern Churchman. Vol. 60, July 1962, pp 4-7.</ref>

==Early life and education== Chalmers was born in London in 1833, the son of George Chalmers of Islington.<ref name=TTObituary>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Obituaries – The Bishop of Goulburn |date=14 November 1901 |page=6 |issue=36612 }}</ref> He was educated at the High School of Dundee and at St Augustine's College, Canterbury. He later qualified for the degree of B.D. from Trinity College, Toronto in 1888, and received an honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD) degree from the college in 1892. He was also an honorary fellow of St Augustine's College, Canterbury.<ref name=TTObituary />

==Ecclesiastical career== On leaving college in 1858, he was accepted by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel for service in the Diocese of Labuan and Sarawak.<ref name=TTObituary /> He was admitted to the diaconate in 1858, and ordained in 1859,<ref name=adb>{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=B. R. |last=Marshall |title=William Chalmers (1833–1901) |id2=chalmers-william-3188 |year=1969 |volume=3 |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref> working as an SPG missionary, the first amongst the Land Dayaks of Sarawak. Health problems led to his emigrating to Victoria, Australia in 1861. He held incumbencies at Inglewood (1862–68), Malmsbury and Taradale (1868–70), Kyneton (1870–78), Geelong (1878–89) and Brighton, Melbourne, where he served as Vicar of St Andrew's Church (1889–92).<ref name=TTObituary /><ref>''The Clergy List, Clerical Guide and Ecclesiastical Directory'', London, Hamilton & Co, 1889</ref> In 1889 he was also appointed a Canon of Melbourne Cathedral.<ref name=TTObituary />

Chalmers was elected to be the Bishop of Goulburn on 9 June 1892 and consecrated and installed on 1 November.<ref>''The Times'', 3 November 1892, p11, "Ecclesiastical Intelligence"</ref>

He died in office in Sydney in 1901 and is buried within the precincts of St Saviour's Cathedral, Goulburn.<ref name=adb/>

==Family== Chalmers married, on 25 September 1866, a daughter of Mr. G. N. Francis, of Tarnagulla, Victoria.<ref name=adb/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{S-start}} {{S-rel|en}} {{S-bef|before=Mesac Thomas}} {{S-ttl|title=Bishop of Goulburn|years=1892–1901}} {{S-aft|after=Christopher Barlow}} {{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chalmers, William}} Category:1833 births Category:People educated at the High School of Dundee Category:Alumni of St Augustine's College, Canterbury Category:19th-century Anglican bishops in Australia Category:20th-century Anglican bishops in Australia Category:Anglican bishops of Goulburn Category:1901 deaths Category:British emigrants to Australia