Background

Born in Highgate, London, England, Coggan was a lecturer in Semitic languages at Manchester University from 1931 to 1934, a professor of the New Testament at Wycliffe College in Toronto from 1937 to 1944, and principal of London College of Divinity from 1944 to 1956.

Life and Work

He was ordained a priest in 1935, appointed bishop of Bradford in 1956 and archbishop of York in 1965. After his retirement as Archbishop of Canterbury he was elevated to the House of Lords.

His time as archbishop is noted for his strong support for the ordination of women (which did not happen until 1994), having proposed it at the Lambeth Conference of the world's Anglican churches in 1970. His comparitively brief tenure was marked by his boldness, orderliness and punctuality. Aside from his duties of his primacy, he was a prolific writer - his works including Call To The Nation (1975). He was also a speaker and preacher, often accompanied by his wife, Jean Braithwaite.

Among his other roles was being Honorary President of the United Bible Societies from 1957 to 1976. His excellent knowledge of the scriptures meant he made an enormous contribution to the furthering of the organisation. He also founded the Lord Coggan Memorial Fund which helped to supply Russian children with copes of the bible.

He was buried at St Alban’s Cathedral, Hertfordshire.