Father Trevor Huddleston (1913-1998)

Father Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston was an English Anglican bishop, He was the Bishop of Stepney in London before becoming the second Archbishop of the Province of the Indian Ocean. He is best known for his anti-apartheid activism (1956-96) and his book Naught for Your Comfort. He became president of the Anti-Apartheid Movement in 1981.

Trevor was born in Bedford, England. He was educated at Lancing College (1927-31), Christ Church Oxford and at Wells Theological College.

On Michaelmas. 27th September 1936, he was ordained a deacon. 1937 ordained a priest. Clifford Woodward, Bishop of Bristol presided over both. He served as a curate at St. Mark’s Swindon for 2 years.

In 1939 he joined the Community of the Resurrection (CR), an Anglican religious order.

September 1940 he sailed to Cape Town. 1941 he took his vows. In 1943 he went to the CR mission station at Rosettenville (Johannesburg, South Africa).

His task was to continue the work of Raymond Raynes. Raymond had been nursed back to health by Trevor and recognized him as his successor.

Over the next 13 years in Sophiatown he developed into a much loved priest and anti-apartheid activist. His nickname was Makhalipile (dauntless one). In 1949 elected Provincial of CR

In 1955 the African national Congress (ANC) bestowed upon him the rare Isitwandwe award in recognition of his anti-apartheid activities. He was particularly concerned about the Nationalist Governments decision to bulldoze Sophiatown.

He established the African Children’s Feeding scheme, which still exists.
He also raised money for the Orlando Swimming Pools - the only place black children could swim until post 1994.

Many South Africans lives were changed by Trevor. He was close to O. R. Tambo, ANC President during his years in exile (1962-90). Together they hosted many conferences, protests and actions. He met a young, ill Desmond Tutu when visiting a hospital.

In 1955 he was asked by CR to return to England. He returned in 1956 and published Naught for Your Comfort which was based on his personal experiences in South African anti-apartheid.

He worked as the master of novices at CR’s Mirfield house in West Yorkshire for 2 year. He then worked at the Prior in London.

26th June 1959 he and Julius Nyerere(JN) addressed the founding meeting of the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM). He became vice-president (1961-81).

Became Bishop of Masasi (Tanzania) where he worked and reorganized the mission schools to be run by the independent government of JN.(1960-8).

Back in the UK he became Bishop of Stepney.

In 1978, after 10 years in England, he was appointed Bishop of Mauritius and Archbishop of of the Province of the Indian Ocean.

April elected president of AAM ( 1981-94)
1995 Patron for Action for Southern Africa (ASA) replaced AAM

Knighted 1998

Bishop Trevor of Sophiatown died at Mirfield, West Yorkshire on 20th April 1998. His ashes were taken to Sophiatown.

AAM
S.A. History Online