Ian Cundy
Encyclopedia
Ian Patrick Martyn Cundy (23 April 1945 – 7 May 2009) was a Church of England
cleric who served successively as Bishop of Lewes
and Bishop of Peterborough
.
, Dorset
, on 23 April 1945, he was the son of Henry Martyn Cundy and his wife Kathleen Ethel Hemmings. He was educated at Monkton Combe School
in Somerset and then at Trinity College, Cambridge
where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
in mathematics and theology in 1967, and obtained a Master of Arts
. Cundy made his general ordination exam in Tyndall Hall, Trinity College, Bristol
in 1969.
in Southgate, London
until 1977. A year later, he was nominated team rector in Mortlake
and East Sheen
, a post he held until 1983. Thereafter Cundy became Warden of Cranmer Hall, St John's College, Durham
until 1992, when he was appointed Suffragan Bishop of Lewes
in the Diocese of Chichester
. He was enthroned as the 37th Bishop of Peterborough
in 1996, where he remained until his death in May 2009.
The Ian Cundy Lecture was given by Mary Tanner
in Durham, June 2011.
. In October 2008, he announced his intention to take early retirement in July 2009 due to ill health. Cundy died on 7 May 2009 at the age of 64, after collapsing on his way to a family event. He was survived by his wife, Josephine Katherine Boyd whom he married in 1969, and their children, two sons and one daughter. Following a Eucharist in Peterborough Cathedral
, Cundy was buried, a week after his death.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
cleric who served successively as Bishop of Lewes
Bishop of Lewes
The Bishop of Lewes is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after Lewes, the county town of East Sussex.-List of the Bishops of Lewes:...
and Bishop of Peterborough
Bishop of Peterborough
The Bishop of Peterborough is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Peterborough in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the counties of Northamptonshire, Rutland and the Soke of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire...
.
Background
Born in Sturminster NewtonSturminster Newton
Sturminster Newton, known to locals as Stur, is a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. It is situated on a low limestone ridge in a meander of the River Stour. The town is at the centre of a large dairy agriculture region, around which the town's economy is built...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, on 23 April 1945, he was the son of Henry Martyn Cundy and his wife Kathleen Ethel Hemmings. He was educated at Monkton Combe School
Monkton Combe School
Monkton Combe School is an independent boarding and day school of the British public school tradition, near Bath, England. The Senior School is located in the village of Monkton Combe, while the Prep School, Pre-Prep and Nursery are in Combe Down on the southern outskirts of Bath...
in Somerset and then at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in mathematics and theology in 1967, and obtained a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
. Cundy made his general ordination exam in Tyndall Hall, Trinity College, Bristol
Trinity College, Bristol
Trinity College Bristol is a Christian college affiliated to the Church of England, though students come from different denominations. It is located in Stoke Bishop in Bristol, England, next to the University of Bristol's residential halls...
in 1969.
Career
After his exam, Cundy was assistant curate of Christ Church, New Malden until 1973 and subsequently lecturer and chaplain of Oak Hill Theological CollegeOak Hill Theological College
Oak Hill College is a theological college located on Chase Side in Southgate, London, England. It is one of the largest seminaries in the UK....
in Southgate, London
Southgate, London
Southgate is an area of north London, England, primarily within the London Borough of Enfield, although parts of its western fringes lie within the London Borough of Barnet. It is located around north of Charing Cross. The name is derived from being the south gate to Enfield Chase...
until 1977. A year later, he was nominated team rector in Mortlake
Mortlake
Mortlake is a district of London, England and part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes with East Sheen inland to the south. Mortlake was part of Surrey until 1965.-History:...
and East Sheen
East Sheen
East Sheen, also known as 'Sheen', is an affluent suburb of London, England in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It forms part of the London post town in the SW postcode area....
, a post he held until 1983. Thereafter Cundy became Warden of Cranmer Hall, St John's College, Durham
St John's College, Durham
St John's College is a college of the University of Durham, United Kingdom. It is one of only two 'Recognised Colleges' of the University, the other being St Chad's. This means that it is financially and constitutionally independent of the University and has a greater degree of administrative...
until 1992, when he was appointed Suffragan Bishop of Lewes
Bishop of Lewes
The Bishop of Lewes is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after Lewes, the county town of East Sussex.-List of the Bishops of Lewes:...
in the Diocese of Chichester
Diocese of Chichester
The Diocese of Chichester is a Church of England diocese based in Chichester, covering Sussex. It was created in 1075 to replace the old Diocese of Selsey, which was based at Selsey Abbey from 681. The cathedral is Chichester Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Chichester...
. He was enthroned as the 37th Bishop of Peterborough
Bishop of Peterborough
The Bishop of Peterborough is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Peterborough in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the counties of Northamptonshire, Rutland and the Soke of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire...
in 1996, where he remained until his death in May 2009.
The Ian Cundy Lecture was given by Mary Tanner
Mary Tanner
Dame Mary Elizabeth Tanner, DBE is President of the World Council of Churches. She has been a member of the WCC Faith and Order Commission since 1974, serving as its moderator from 1991 to 1998....
in Durham, June 2011.
Cancer and death
In November 2007, it was announced that Cundy was undergoing treatment for pleural mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancerLung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
. In October 2008, he announced his intention to take early retirement in July 2009 due to ill health. Cundy died on 7 May 2009 at the age of 64, after collapsing on his way to a family event. He was survived by his wife, Josephine Katherine Boyd whom he married in 1969, and their children, two sons and one daughter. Following a Eucharist in Peterborough Cathedral
Peterborough Cathedral
Peterborough Cathedral, properly the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew – also known as Saint Peter's Cathedral in the United Kingdom – is the seat of the Bishop of Peterborough, dedicated to Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, whose statues look down from the...
, Cundy was buried, a week after his death.