Briggs, Rev Rawdon MA

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Watercolour portrait of Rev Rawdon Briggs MA, vicar of All Saints Church, Bradford

from John Sowden's notebooks:

"Was a popular vicar of All Saints for 33 years from 1882 to 1915.

Mr Briggs was born at Eastfield, Northumberland in 1853, being the eldest son of the late Mr Reordan Briggs of Birstwith Hall, Ripley, Yorkshire. He was educated at Appuldurcombe College, Isle of Wight, and at Winchester College, going finally to St John's College, Oxford where he graduated in 1876 taking the degree of BA and later MA. During his career at school and college Mr Briggs was fond of athletics, especially fives and cricket.

After leaving Oxford he came to Bradford and worked as a layman for three months at All Saints, under the Reverend GW Kenion, the vicar. He was ordained and licensed as a curate to the parish in 1877. On the appointment of Dr Kenion to the See of Adelaide in 1882, Mr Briggs was appointed vicar of All Saints. Mr Briggs has held many church offices, having been Secretary to the Diocesan Societies and the mission to Seamen, a member of the Governing Body of the Ripon Diocesan in Education Society, acting chaplain to the Bradford Artillery Volunteers (including a medal for 20 years service) and Honorary Chaplain to the North of England Cyclists Meet.

During his vicarite schools at Bramley Street and Dirkhill were enlarged in 1884 and the new infant school was built at Horton Green in 1896. In 1902 Saint Columba was formed into a separate parish, as later was St Oswald's from the original parish of All Saints. The Bishop of Ripon gave Mr Briggs an Honorary Canoncy in Ripon Cathedral in 1908. In 1915 Canon Rawdon Briggs was offered by the Bishop of Ripon and accepted the living of Clapham within Reasden near Settle."

Year

1905

Creator

John Sowden

Image filename

sowden-45