John Oliver (bishop)


John Keith Oliver is a British retired Anglican bishop. He was the Bishop of Hereford from 1990 to 2003.

Early life and education

Oliver was born on 14 April 1935. He was educated at Westminster and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He has Master of Arts and Master of Letters degrees.

Ordained ministry

He was made a deacon at Michaelmas 1964 at Cromer Parish Church and ordained a priest the Michaelmas following at Norwich Cathedral, both times by Launcelot Fleming, Bishop of Norwich. After a curacy in Norfolk, he spent a period as chaplain and assistant master at Eton College. Following incumbencies in Devon, he became Archdeacon of Sherborne and Rector of West Stafford in Dorset before being consecrated a bishop on 6 December 1990 at Westminster Abbey. He was succeeded by Anthony Priddis, previously Bishop suffragan of Warwick.

Personal life

He married Meriel Moore in 1961; she died in 2014. They had two sons and one daughter; his daughter died in 2002.