born on 19 december 1915, he was educated at the sheffield pupil teacher centre; and served in the royal army service corps during world war ii. when peace returned he studied at st aidan’s theological college and was ordained in 1947. after a curacy at madron with morvah he held incumbencies at perranuthnoe, budock, st michael caerhays, redruth and st clement before his archdeacon’s appointment.