Richardson, John Andrew

Coadjutor Bishop of Fredericton; Third Bishop of Fredericton; Ninth Metropolitan of Canada.

John Andrew Richardson was born in Warwick, England in 1868, and was educated at the grammar school there. He emigrated to Canada in 1888, and attended St. John's College in Winnipeg, where he obtained a B.A. in 1895. He was ordained deacon that same year, and then priest in 1896. He was curate of St. Luke's Mission in Winnipeg from 1895 to 1897, then rector until 1899. He gained a M.A. from St. John's College in 1898. In 1899, he became rector of Trinity Church in Saint John, and was made Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton in 1902. In 1906, he was consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of Fredericton, and received an honourary D.D. from St. John's College. He succeeded to See of Fredericton 1907, and was granted another honourary D.D., this time from the University of King's College in Windsor, Nova Scotia. In 1910, he received an honourary D.C.L. from the University of Bishop's College. Richardson was popular, and an advocate for social change in the Maritimes and in the Church itself, supporting initiatives such as temperance and prison reform. He also advocated for the recognition of women's work in the Church, as well as their greater involvement. He was Bishop during incredibly challenging times, as both World War I and the Great Depression happened during his episcopate. He was elected Metropolitan of Canada and Archbishop of Fredericton in 1934, and passed away in 1938.