RICHARDS, ISAAC (1859-1936) was born at Tavistock, Devon, and educated at the Wesleyan College, Taunton, and at Exeter College, Oxford, where he graduated M.A. He was ordained deacon in 1882 and priest the following year, when he became curate of St Paul's, Truro. There he married (1885) Gertrude, daughter of Dr Robert Oxland. In 1886 Richards came to New Zealand and accepted the charge of St Mark's, Remuera. In 1895 he was appointed warden of Selwyn College, Dunedin, and five years later he became vicar of Tuapeka (and afterwards archdeacon of Queenstown). In 1916 he was appointed to St John's church, Invercargill, with the local archdeaconry, and subsequently canon of St Paul's, Dunedin. In 1919 he was elected Bishop of Dunedin (to which he was consecrated in Jan 1920), and he occupied the see until ill-health compelled his retirement early in 1934. He afterwards lived in Christchurch, where he died on 10 May 1936.

Richards was a man of high literary and theological attainments, charming personality and catholic sympathies. He published in 1912 The Church in Danger and later The Lord and Giver of Life. As a young man he played cricket at Oxford (where he captained his college eleven), and afterwards for Auckland province and for Otago (Opoho Club). His son, R. J. Richards, M.A., became headmaster of Christ's College.

Who's Who N.Z., 1932; The Press, 11 May 1936 (P); Church Chronicle, 1 Jun 1936; Otago Daily Times, 11 May (P).

Reference: Volume 2, page 119

🌳 Further sources