Sheila Watson (priest)
| The Reverend Sheila Watson |
|
|---|---|
| Archdeacon of Canterbury | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Canterbury |
| In office | 2007–6 January 2016 (resigned) |
| Other posts | Archdeacon of Buckingham (2002–2007) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1987 (deacon) 1994 (priest) |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Sheila Anne Atkinson |
| Born | 20 May 1953 |
| Spouse | Derek Watson |
| Alma mater | University of St Andrews University of Oxford |
Sheila Anne Watson (née Atkinson; born 20 May 1953) is a retired British priest in the Church of England. From 2007 until 2016, she was Archdeacon of Canterbury; she was Archdeacon of Buckingham between 2002 and 2007.
Early life
Watson was born on 20 May 1953.[1] She grew up in a seaside town and graduated in classics at the University of St Andrews. She then did a preparatory year of theology at the University of Oxford and then returned to St Andrews for a research degree.
Religious life
She became a deaconess in 1979, serving in two Scottish parishes (1979–80), North East England (1980–84), London (1984-1996 - where she also gained experience in the diocesan selection and training of clergy and laity at the Advisory Board of Ministry in Westminster) and Salisbury (1997-2002 where her husband Derek Watson was Dean of Salisbury until his retirement in 2002). She was ordained as a deacon in 1987 and as a priest in 1994. From 2002 to 2007 she was the Archdeacon of Buckingham in the Diocese of Oxford.
Succeeding Patrick Evans on his retirement, Watson was announced in January 2007 to be the next Archdeacon of Canterbury, the first woman in the position[2] and only the second woman to be a residential canon at Canterbury Cathedral. She was installed during Choral Evensong at the cathedral on 28 April 2007.
On 21 March 2013, she enthroned Justin Welby as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury. She was the first woman to carry out that ceremony.[3] Watson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Divinity (HonDD) by the University of Kent in November 2013.[4] She resigned as Archdeacon of Canterbury on 6 January 2016.[5]
Personal life
Watson is married to Derek Watson. Her husband is also a Church of England priest and was previously Dean of Salisbury. He is now the "Preacher of Lincoln's Inn".[6]
References
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|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Archdeacon of Buckingham 2002–2007 |
Succeeded by Karen Gorham |
| Preceded by | Archdeacon of Canterbury 2007–2016 |
TBA |
- ↑ Who's Who 2012 – Watson, Sheila Anne
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- ↑ University of Kent — Sheila Watson (Accessed 10 January 2016)
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