John Kirkham (bishop)
John Dudley Galtrey Kirkham was a British Anglican bishop. He was the Bishop of Sherborne in the last quarter of the 20th century and the first area bishop under the 1981–2009 area scheme.
Kirkham was educated at Lancing College and Trinity College, Cambridge, and ordained in 1962. His ministry began with a curacy at St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich after which he was Chaplain to Launcelot Fleming, Bishop of Norwich and finally Canterbury Diocesan Director of Ordinands.
He was made a deacon at Michaelmas 1962 at St Mary's, Woodbridge and ordained a priest the Michaelmas following at St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich — both times by Arthur Morris, Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. He was consecrated a bishop on 30 November 1976, by Donald Coggan, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Canterbury Cathedral. On 30 November 1991 he was appointed Chaplain to the Order of St John.
He died on 10 October 2019 at the age of 84.
