THE son of a businessman in Wakefield, David Hope sang in the local cathedral choir and would probably have taken over his father’s company had he not been called to the priesthood.

He was ordained in 1965, became an assistant curate in Liverpool, worked in Bucharest as a chaplain and, in 1974, became principal of St Stephen’s House, Oxford, a famous appointment during which he had the task of renewing the reputation of a theological college tarnished by gay excesses.

Vicar of All Saints Margaret Street, London’s centre of Anglo-Catholicism, from 1982, at the same time Dr Hope became Master of the Guardians of the Marian shrine of Walsingham, which role he performed for nine years.

By now established as the Church’s leading traditionalist, Dr Hope’s rise through the ranks continued, leaving him in reluctant acceptance of the relentless promotions. The further he got from the parish priesthood, the more he longed to return to it.

Dr Hope became Bishop of Wakefield in 1985, then Bishop of London in 1991, moving to York in 1995.

The unhappiest period of his ministry came during his time in London when, challenged by Peter Tatchell, the gay rights campaigner, he was forced into an admission that his sexuality was a “grey area”.

Shortly after this he was moved to York, an unambiguous vote of confidence from the pews right up to the hierarchy of the Church of England.

As Archbishop, he found himself on the train commuting five hours a day from York to London for seven days a month or more. He chaired endless meetings of the Archbishops’ Council, its committees and subcommittees, and the House of Bishops.

It caused him grief that, having had doubts from the start about the wisdom of creating the council, and having long fought a hard but ultimately successful spiritual battle to sustain him through the tedium of synod meetings, Dr Hope then found himself as “Deo facto” archbishop in charge of the burgeoning bureaucracy of modern established church management.

As someone who does not personally ordain women priests but supports their ministry in his diocese, one of his biggest achievements was helping the Church to find a way through the vote to ordain them in 1992.

During his spare time he listens to classical and colliery brass band music and his favourite television programme is Last of the Summer Wine.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• The Times celebrates its 225th birthday
• Heath discussed IMF loan during 1974 crisis
• Britain’s loneliest café opens for business