DUDLEY, BENJAMIN WOOLLEY (1805-92) was born at Dudley, Staffordshire, the son of a merchant, whose evangelical leanings prompted the son to turn from business to the Church. He entered at St Catherine's Hall, Cambridge, where he graduated (B.A. 1837; M.A. 1840). Ordained priest, he was appointed curate of Earthly, Chichester, and in 1838 of Ticehurst, Sussex.

In 1850 he came to Canterbury in the Cressy and was appointed incumbent of Lyttelton. In 1859 he moved to Auckland, where he had charge of St John's College and Panmure. In 1860 he was appointed incumbent of Rangiora, becoming a rural dean and canon (1866) and archdeacon 1876. He retired in 1888 and died on 28 Aug 1892. Dudley was a fellow of Christ's College, Christchurch (1864-88), where he established a scholarship. He endowed the church at West Lyttelton. He was a coadjutor of Fox in the Temperance Movement and president of the Blue Ribbon Society and the North Canterbury Political Temperance Union.

Cycl. N.Z., iii (p); Lyttelton Times, 29 Aug 1892.

Reference: Volume 1, page 127

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