Mrs Gowing Is From "Family Of Bishops”

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29227, 10 June 1960, Page 2

Mrs Gowing Is From "Family Of Bishops”

When Archdeacon E. A. Gowing, of Christchurch, becomes the next Bishop of Auckland, he will be adding yet another name to the list of bishops in his wife’s family.

Mrs Gowing is the daughter of Bishop T. Sherwood-Jones, of Manchester, England. Her uncle is Bishop W. Stan ton-Jones, bishop of Sodor and Man on the Isle of Man. Her brother was the late Bishop N. Sherwood-Jones, who was consecrated in 1944 and died in Northern Nigeria seven years later.

“I have lived in vicarages all my life,” said Mrs Gowing, in an interview yesterday. “My father was a suffragan bishop and had a parish of his own as well as the diocese. My mother did very much the same work as I have been doing here at St. Mary’s, Merivale. She was the enrolling member for the Mothers’ Union in her parish.” Mrs Gowing has been an enthusiastic worker for the St. Mary’s Mothers’ Union, being the enrolling member or leader. She has also held the post of vicepresident on the diocesan executive for the last year. “I like to confine my work to one organisation,” she said, “because I feel it is better to put all my energies into one than to divide it among several. That way I can do the job properly.” Before her marriage 20 years ago. Mrs Gowing was secretary to the principal of the Theological College at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. The principal was the Rev. J. R. S. Taylor, who later followed her uncle to become bishop on the Isle of Man. Married A Curate Archdeacon Gowing was a student at the college at the time and that was where the couple met “I married a curate.’’ Mrs Gowing said, laughing. "I didn’t dream he would become a bishop too.” Their first home was in the parish of Bolton, at Deane, on the outskirts of Bolton, Lancashire. In 1942 they moved to Plymouth and in 1945 her husband became vicar of Norbiton at Kingston-on-Thames. When they came to New Zealand, he was Dean of Nelson for six years. Mrs Gowing views the move to Auckland with some misgivings, however. “I have made so many friends in Christchurch and I have never seen Auckland," she said. “Besides, a parish is so much more like a family than is a diocese. “We will be living in Bishop Selwyn’s original home, which will be very nice. Being English, I love old houses.” Archdeacon and Mrs Gowing do not know yet where their two sons (Michael, aged 15, and Peter, aged 13) will be living after, their departure in three months’ time. Michael will sh His School Certificate examina* tion at the end of this’ year, antf at present Peter is in hospital with an injured knee. Both boys attend Christ’s College. “ However, Mrs Gowing is looking forward to being the wife of

a bishop. She says she will try to do the various works that will be expected of her in the diocese and, providing her home is not neglected, will “rather enjoy” the social functions she will be expected to attend. “That last part will be a novelty for me,” she said. “I have not had much experience of it so far.”

With her understanding and happy nature, Mrs Gowing will no doubt be a great success in Auckland, just as she has been in the Merivale parish. Young Wives’ Clubs and Mothers’ Unions in Auckland will be fortunate to have her as their guide.