Kemnal Road, Chislehurst

Harold Bilbrough

Henry was a member of the wealthy Bilbrough family. His father, Arthur Bilbrough, had founded a marine insurance broker business in 1862. It was later to be named A. Bilbrough & Co Ltd, which it still is today. Arthur lived at Camden Court, Chislehurst (where Camden Close was built after his death in 1925), and his eldest son Kenneth, who succeeded him as head of the firm, lived at Elmstead Grange (now Babington House School).

Henry was born in 1867, and after attending school at Winchester, had taken a very different career and entered the church. He was ordained at Durham, appointed Canon of Durham in 1901, subdean of Liverpool in 1910 and Canon of Liverpool in 1911. He was consecrated Bishop of Dover in 1916, and Bishop of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in October 1927. He retired on 1 July 1941, after Winston Churchill sought the approval of the King for his retirement, after which he moved back to Chislehurst, where his brother had purchased Nizels for him.

He died in November 1950, but is not buried in St Nicholas churchyard. His body is likely to have been returned to the Cathedral at Newcastle.

Harold with his brother Kenneth and their father, Arthur Bilbrough
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