JULIUS, CHURCHILL (1847-1938) was born at Richmond, Surrey, and educated at Blackheath Proprietary school, at King's College, London, and Worcester College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. (1869) and M.A. (1871). He was ordained deacon (1871) and priest (1872). His first curacy was at St Giles, Norwich (1871). In 1873 he became curate of South Brent, Somersetshire; in 1875 vicar of Shapwick; in 1878 of Holy Trinity, Islington, and in 1884 of Christ Church pro-Cathedral in Ballarat. Julius came to Australia in the barque South Australian, and was for some time archdeacon of Ballarat and dean of the Cathedral. While there he was elected (1889) to the bishopric of Christchurch. The consecration took place on 1 May 1890. Cambridge University conferred on him the D.D. in 1893, and in 1920 the honorary LL.D. Julius was a man of great personal charm and wide gifts; tolerant, industrious, an eloquent emotional preacher and an orator of some distinction. In 1922 he succeeded Nevill (q.v.) as primate of New Zealand, becoming at the same time the first archbishop in the province. He had then been in holy orders for 53 years and a bishop for 35. Two years later he announced his retirement from the see of Christchurch, which took place in Apr 1925. He was warden of Christ's College (1890-1925) and a governor of Canterbury College (1890-1920).

In his retirement Julius devoted much of his leisure to mechanical pursuits, including clockmaking (at which he was expert), electricity and radio. His clock hospital was a feature of his home for many years, and he spent one vacation repairing the organ in the old church at Paihia, Bay of Islands. He married (1873) Alice (who died in 1918), daughter of Colonel M. J. Rowlandson.

Crockford; Cycl. N.Z., iii (p); Star-Sun and The Press, 2 Sep 1938 (pp).

Reference: Volume 1, page 240

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