[Ely Announce] New Bishop of Huntingdon appointed

[Owen Spencer-Thomas]

The following release was issued to the media at 11 am on 2 June 2008

      The Ven Dr David Thomson, currently Archdeacon of Carlisle, has been appointed as the next Bishop of Huntingdon. He has wide parish experience in both urban and rural areas. 

      Born into a vicarage family in Sunderland, Dr Thomson grew up in Sheffield when the major employer was the steelworks. He met his wife Jean when they were both at school there and a teenage romance grew up which eventually led to their marriage. They have four children. 

      He studied at Oxford and completed his doctorate which examined how English was used to teach Latin in the time of the time of the Wars of the Roses and the Black Death. After graduating he taught at a college of education before coming to Cambridge to read Theology and train for the Christian ministry at Selwyn College and Westcott House. 

      He was appointed Curate in the mining town of Maltby, Yorkshire, before joining the Banbury Team Ministry in Oxfordshire, where he was responsible for a huge area with new housing developments. A highlight was the planting of two new church communities, one a shared project bringing together Anglicans, Roman Catholics and Brethren. He then went on to serve as Rector in the gem market-town of Cockermouth in Cumbria. In 2002, he became Archdeacon of Carlisle and Cathedral Canon. 

      He has published a series of devotional books, the latest, Ways to Pray, was published last year. His hobbies include gardening, exploring the countryside and its antiquities, walking and doing the crossword.

      "The family are very excited at the prospect of coming to Cambridgeshire," he said. "Both Jean and I are looking forward immensely to getting know many new friends and colleagues."



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      For details and more information: 

      Canon Owen Spencer-Thomas, MBE 
      Bishops' Press Officer 
      52 Windsor Road 
      Cambridge 
      CB4 3JN 

      Phone 01223 358448 
      Mobile: 07801 492151 
      E-mail: owenst at btinternet.com 



      2nd June 2008
      Ref 0832