Anglican Bishops
of Canada

Adelbert John Robert Anson   Bishop: 1884 - 1892
William John Burn   Bishop: 1893 - 1896
John Grisdale   Bishop: 1896 - 1911
Malcolm Taylor McAdam Harding   Bishop: 1911 - 1934
Edwin Hubert Knowles   Bishop: 1935 - 1950
Michael Edward Coleman   Bishop: 1950 - 1960
George Clarence Fredrick Jackson (1907-1990)
Bishop: 1960 - 1977
Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land:
Michael Geoffery Peers   Bishop: 1977 - 1986
Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land: 1982-1986
Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada: 1986-2004
Eric Bays   Bishop: 1986 - 1998
Duncan Douglas Wallace   Bishop: 1998 - 2005
Gregory Kerr-Wilson   Bishop: 2006 - present

William John Burn was born in 1851 at South Moor, Sunderland, England. He graduated with mathematical honours from St John’s College, Cambridge. In 1876 he was appointed first incumbent of St Peter’s, Jarrow-on-Tyne and continued in that postion for more than 10 years when he resigned due to ill-health. In 1890 he was appointed to the vicarage of Coniscliffe, near Darlington where he was when he was offered the position of Bishop of Qu’Appelle.

Bishop Burn was consecrated in Westminster Abbey on March 25, 1893 by the Bishop of Canterbury, assisted by the Bishop of London and by Adelbert Anson, who had resigned the Bishoporic of Qu’Appelle 3 months earlier.

The diocese was in debt, so the property at Qu’Appelle, including the college and see house had to be relinquished. Bishop Burn removed to Indian Head where Lord Brassy, an extensive landowner built a residence, a church and a girl’s school. Bishop Burn died suddenly of heart failure on June 16, 1896 at Indian Head, Saskatchewan.

Adelbert John Robert Anson was born 20 December 1840 in London, England, brother of the Earl of Lichfield. He was eductated at Eton Public School and Christ Church, Oxford. He studied Theology at Lichfield Theological College, ordained deacon 2 September 1864 and ordained priest 21 September 1865. He was at first curate of St John’s, Wolverhampton, then in sucession vicar of St Leonard’s, Bilston, then St Michael’s, Handsworth, then rector of Woolwich.

In 1883 Aldelbert Anson was given a roving mission to establish and organize the church in the District of Assiniboia. At the time it had one resident clergyman in Regina and two travelling missionaries, one to visit the railway stations and the other to minister to the Indians.

Aldelbert Anson returned to England and succeeded in raising sufficient funds to establish a diocese. He was consecrated Bishop of the new Diocese of Assiniboia on 24 June 1884 and returned to Canada with a staff of 8 priests, 1 deacon and 6 lay-readers. He at first resided in Regina but moved to Qu’Appelle Station in 1885.

The mission was well-financed and well-organized but the anticpated influx of large numbers of immigrants did not materialize and the Church grew slowly. However, there were 16 clergy and 23 churches when Bishop Anson resigned 31 December 1892. Adelbert Anson returned to England and died 27th May 1909.