# William Chalmers (bishop)

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{{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](/source/Anglican) [bishop](/source/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](/source/High_School_of_Dundee) and at [St Augustine's College, Canterbury](/source/St_Augustine's_College%2C_Canterbury). He later qualified for the degree of [B.D.](/source/Bachelor_of_Divinity) from [Trinity College, Toronto](/source/Trinity_College%2C_Toronto) in 1888, and received an honorary [Doctor of Divinity](/source/Doctor_of_Divinity) (DD) degree from the college in 1892. He was also an [honorary fellow](/source/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](/source/Society_for_the_Propagation_of_the_Gospel_in_Foreign_Parts) for service in the [Diocese of Labuan and Sarawak](/source/Diocese_of_Labuan_and_Sarawak).<ref name=TTObituary /> He was admitted to the [diaconate](/source/diaconate) in 1858, and [ordained](/source/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](/source/USPG) [missionary](/source/missionary), the first amongst the [Land Dayaks](/source/Bidayuh) of [Sarawak](/source/Sarawak). Health problems led to his emigrating to [Victoria, Australia](/source/Victoria_(Australia)) in 1861. He held [incumbencies](/source/Vicar) at [Inglewood](/source/Inglewood%2C_Victoria) (1862–68), [Malmsbury](/source/Malmsbury%2C_Victoria) and [Taradale](/source/Taradale%2C_Victoria) (1868–70), [Kyneton](/source/Kyneton%2C_Victoria) (1870–78), [Geelong](/source/Geelong) (1878–89) and Brighton, Melbourne, where he served as Vicar of [St Andrew's Church](/source/St_Andrew's_Church%2C_Brighton) (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](/source/Canon_(priest)) of [Melbourne Cathedral](/source/St_Paul's_Cathedral%2C_Melbourne).<ref name=TTObituary />

Chalmers was elected to be the [Bishop of Goulburn](/source/Anglican_Diocese_of_Canberra_and_Goulburn) on 9 June 1892 and consecrated and installed on 1 November.<ref>''[The Times](/source/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](/source/Tarnagulla), Victoria.<ref name=adb/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-rel|en}}
{{S-bef|before=[Mesac Thomas](/source/Mesac_Thomas)}}
{{S-ttl|title=[Bishop of Goulburn](/source/Anglican_Diocese_of_Canberra_and_Goulburn)|years=1892–1901}}
{{S-aft|after=[Christopher Barlow](/source/Christopher_Barlow)}}
{{S-end}}

{{Anglican bishops of Goulburn}}

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{{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

{{Australia-Anglican-bishop-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [William Chalmers (bishop)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Chalmers_(bishop)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Chalmers_(bishop)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.