Graeme Paul Knowles
Encyclopedia
Graeme Paul Knowles was installed as Dean of St Paul's
Cathedral, London on 1 October 2007 after Letters Patent
were issued on 20 September 2007. He was previously Bishop of Sodor and Man
between 2003 and 2007. He resigned on 1 November 2011 during the Occupy London
protests.
and King's College London
, spending his final year of theological studies at St Augustine's College, Canterbury
.
Knowles served his curacy at St Peter-in-Thanet in Broadstairs
, Kent
from 1974 to 1979. From 1979 he was precentor and senior curate of Leeds Parish Church before moving to become precentor
and a Canon Residentiary
at Portsmouth Cathedral
in 1981. He was also chaplain during his time at the cathedral and held the post of chapter clerk from 1985 to 1987. He became the vicar of Leigh Park in 1987, additionally taking on the role of Rural Dean of Havant from 1990. He was appointed Archdeacon of Portsmouth in 1993 and held the post until 1999.
Knowles was Dean of Carlisle
from 1999 until he moved to the Isle of Man
as Bishop of Sodor and Man
in 2003, replacing Noel Jones. He was consecrated a bishop by David Hope, Archbishop of York
at York Minster
on 4 December 2003 and installed at Peel Cathedral
on 17 January 2004. He became Dean of St Paul's
in 2007 in succession to John Moses
who retired in 2006.
He resigned from St Paul's on 1 November 2011 following backlash against his Chapter's resolution to forcibly evict the Occupy London
protesters from outside the cathedral
Knowles is also an honorary chaplain in the Royal Naval Reserve
and a patron of the Burgon Society
.
Dean of St Paul's
The Dean of St Paul's is the head of the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral in London, England in the Church of England. The most recent Dean, Graeme Knowles, formerly Bishop of Sodor and Man, was installed on 1 October 2007 and resigned on 31 October 2011...
Cathedral, London on 1 October 2007 after Letters Patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
were issued on 20 September 2007. He was previously Bishop of Sodor and Man
Bishop of Sodor and Man
The Bishop of Sodor and Man is the Ordinary of the Diocese of Sodor and Man in the Province of York in the Church of England. The diocese covers the Isle of Man. The see is in the town of Peel where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of St German, elevated to cathedral status on 1...
between 2003 and 2007. He resigned on 1 November 2011 during the Occupy London
Occupy London
Occupy London is an ongoing peaceful protest and demonstration against economic inequality, the lack of affordability of housing in the United Kingdom, social injustice, corporate greed and the influence of companies and lobbyists on government taking place in London, United Kingdom, which started...
protests.
Biography
Knowles was educated at Dunstable Grammar SchoolDunstable Grammar School
Dunstable Grammar School was a grammar school in the market town of Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. Opened in 1888, it was closed in 1971.-Foundation:...
and King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, spending his final year of theological studies at St Augustine's College, Canterbury
St Augustine's College, Canterbury
St Augustine's College, Canterbury was a Church of England theological college in Canterbury, Kent that opened in 1848 and closed in 1976. Many of those who trained there went on to serve as missionaries...
.
Knowles served his curacy at St Peter-in-Thanet in Broadstairs
Broadstairs
Broadstairs is a coastal town on the Isle of Thanet in the Thanet district of east Kent, England, about south-east of London. It is part of the civil parish of Broadstairs and St Peter's, which includes St. Peter's and had a population in 2001 of about 24,000. Situated between Margate and...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
from 1974 to 1979. From 1979 he was precentor and senior curate of Leeds Parish Church before moving to become precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
and a Canon Residentiary
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
at Portsmouth Cathedral
Portsmouth Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Portsmouth, commonly known as Portsmouth Cathedral, is the Church of England cathedral of the City of Portsmouth, England and is located in the heart of Old Portsmouth...
in 1981. He was also chaplain during his time at the cathedral and held the post of chapter clerk from 1985 to 1987. He became the vicar of Leigh Park in 1987, additionally taking on the role of Rural Dean of Havant from 1990. He was appointed Archdeacon of Portsmouth in 1993 and held the post until 1999.
Knowles was Dean of Carlisle
Dean of Carlisle
The Dean of Carlisle is based in Carlisle, UK and is the head of the Chapter of Carlisle Cathedral. There have been 39 previous incumbents and the current holder of the post is The Very Reverend Mark Boyling.-Deans:...
from 1999 until he moved to the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
as Bishop of Sodor and Man
Bishop of Sodor and Man
The Bishop of Sodor and Man is the Ordinary of the Diocese of Sodor and Man in the Province of York in the Church of England. The diocese covers the Isle of Man. The see is in the town of Peel where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of St German, elevated to cathedral status on 1...
in 2003, replacing Noel Jones. He was consecrated a bishop by David Hope, Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
at York Minster
York Minster
York Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by...
on 4 December 2003 and installed at Peel Cathedral
Peel Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Saint German or Peel Cathedral is located in Peel, Isle of Man. The cathedral is the parish church of the parish of German, which includes the town of Peel, and was built 1879-84. It was made the cathedral by Act of Tynwald in 1980...
on 17 January 2004. He became Dean of St Paul's
Dean of St Paul's
The Dean of St Paul's is the head of the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral in London, England in the Church of England. The most recent Dean, Graeme Knowles, formerly Bishop of Sodor and Man, was installed on 1 October 2007 and resigned on 31 October 2011...
in 2007 in succession to John Moses
John Moses (dean)
John Moses KCVO was the Dean of St Paul's from November 1996 until his retirement on 31 August 2006.Moses' last service as dean was a Sung Eucharist on 12 July 2006...
who retired in 2006.
He resigned from St Paul's on 1 November 2011 following backlash against his Chapter's resolution to forcibly evict the Occupy London
Occupy London
Occupy London is an ongoing peaceful protest and demonstration against economic inequality, the lack of affordability of housing in the United Kingdom, social injustice, corporate greed and the influence of companies and lobbyists on government taking place in London, United Kingdom, which started...
protesters from outside the cathedral
Knowles is also an honorary chaplain in the Royal Naval Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
and a patron of the Burgon Society
Burgon Society
The Burgon Society was founded in 2000 for the study and promotion of academical dress, to preserve its history, and to advise film and television companies and interested others in its correct usage. The President of the society is James P.S. Thomson, MS , DM , FRCS, FBS, Master of London...
.
Styles
- Mr Graeme Knowles (1951–1974)
- The Revd Graeme Knowles (1974–1981)
- The Revd Canon Graeme Knowles (1981–1993)
- The Venerable Graeme Knowles (1993–1999)
- The Very Revd Graeme Knowles (1999–4 December 2003)
- The Right Revd Graeme Knowles (4 December 2003–present)