RT REV NIGEL STOCK TO HOUSE OF LORDS: 8 MARCH

The Rt Rev Nigel Stock.  With acknowledgements to the Ipswich Evening Star.

Each year the Master asks a clergyman to be the Company Chaplain for his year.  The duties are varied.  They include saying grace at dinners, giving a sermon at the Company service at St Michael's, Cornhill in the summer and providing general spiritual guidance.

This year I asked the Rt Rev Nigel Stock, Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, to fulfil this role.  I think chaplain is a rather inappropriate title for a senior member of the Church of England to assume so we are probably happier looking upon him as our spiritual adviser for the year.

I have got to know Bishop Nigel as he is married to Carolyne, a cousin of Rosemary's.  Also another consideration was that, being based in Ipswich, he could get to the Hall reasonably easily.

This week he joined the House of Lords as one of the lords spiritual.  Of the forty-four diocesan bishops in England twenty six have seats in the House of Lords.  Five are always held by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishops of Durham, London and Winchester. The remaining twenty-one are the most senior of the remaining thirty-seven.  This month it was Bishop Nigel's turn to take his place.

I think this is a Company first but what is certain is that Bishop Nigel has proved a popular choice as our chaplain/spiritual adviser.