The Reverend Simpson

(The following information is from an article on S. Peter’s in the parish Archives) “He was a grandson of Sir James Simpson, a famous engineer, and was educated at Harrow (where he was contemporary with Mr. Winston Churchill) and Trinity College, Cambridge ; before coming to St. Peter’s he had been succes­sively Curate of All Saints’, Maidstone, and Chaplain to the Bishop of South­wark. He was a very vigorous young man and had a great appeal for the men of the congregation. He was a fine boxer, and promoted tournaments of the noble art, as well as starting cricket, football and athletic clubs ; the players reached a high standard of accomplishment and St. Peter’s Football Club was one of the best in South London at that time; when Wimbledon Football Club was started several of the church club were among the original members. But Mr. Simpson did not forget that his primary task was spiritual and he ran a Bible Study Society for men which met every Sunday afternoon, except the first in the month. The subjects were selected by the members each month and there was discussion at the end of each meeting. It was a very strong and worthwhile Society. Mr. Simpson stayed until Epiphany, 1907, when his old chief, now Bishop of Worcester, appointed him Secretary to his Bishop’s Fund. He was very much concerned in the formation of the new Diocese of Coventry, of which he later became an honorary Canon. He was a man of great ability and was Head of the Retreat House at Rugby, Chaplain to the Coventry Diocesan Order of Readers, and finally Diocesan Missioner for Oxford.”