[Ely Announce] New Precentor at Ely Cathedral

[Owen Spencer-Thomas]

New Precentor at Ely Cathedral



The Revd Dr James Garrard, 42, has been appointed as Canon Precentor of Ely Cathedral by the Bishop of Ely, Dr Anthony Russell.  He succeeds the Revd David Pritchard who became Vice Dean earlier this year.   

 

Dr Garrard leaves the Diocese of Blackburn after seven years as Priest in Charge of St Leonard's Balderstone and Warden of Readers (Lay Ministers) and Director of Reader Training.  

 

Before coming to Blackburn, he served in the Diocese of Wakefield from 1994 where he was Assistant Curate in Elland Team Parish for three years and Team Vicar of the Parish of Brighouse and Clifton from 1998.   

 

Dr Garrard is a church historian who trained for the Ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge, after gaining his doctorate at Keble College, Oxford, in 1992. He graduated from Durham University in 1988.  His research focussed on the life of William Howley, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1828-1848, who opposed the Representation of the People Act which was eventually passed by Parliament in1832.  

 

Dr Garrard met his wife, the Revd Ros Lane, while training at Westcott House.  She is currently Chaplain to HM Prison Kirkham in Lancashire.  They have a son, aged 4, and a daughter, aged two.  



"It is good news that Jim is joining us as Precentor of Ely Cathedral," said Dr Russell.  "He has wide parochial experience and his knowledge of worship and liturgy make him well suited to the cathedral ministry.   It will be splendid to welcome him and his wife, Ros, to Ely." 

 

"We are hugely looking forward to coming to Ely and joining the Cathedral's life and ministry," said Dr Garrard.  "We have loved living and working in parishes in the North West, but there is also the pleasure of returning to East Anglia, a part of the country I knew well as a child and later a student.  

 

"I hope that my previous experience of research and study, and teaching of liturgy and worship will serve me well in the Precentor's job. I look forward very much to working with the choirs who lead the Cathedral music," he added.

 

Dr Garrard will be installed as a Residentiary Canon on 29 November during Choral Evensong at 5.30 pm.  

 

For more details and information: 

Canon Owen Spencer-Thomas, MBE

Bishops' Press Officer                                                          

52 Windsor Road                                                                 

Cambridge

CB4 3JN  



Phone:  01223 358448                                                                                    

Mobile:  07801 492151

email: owenst at btinternet.com                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

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