Sailor- Bishop

Alfred, bishop of Melanesia, was consecrated at Honiara, Guadal canal, on May 30, 1954, being the 9th Bishop of the Diocese, but the first to be consecrated in the Diocese itself.

Alfred Thomas Hill was born in Wolver hampton. England, in 1901. He early felt a calling to the work of the Church, but this was not approved by his father, who owned a large engineering firm.

After matriculation at school, Alfred Hill went to sea as an apprentice in Lamport & Holt’s of Liverpool, who ran large cargo and passenger ships down the coasts of North and South America. After a short but brilliant career of 12 years, during which time he obtained his Extra Master’s Certificate, he had risen to command several ships. He was still only 30.

During this time he had taken a deep

interest in the people of the slam areas around the large seaports, and in the work of Missions to Seamen. In 1931, daring the depression, he resigned the command of the liner “Phidias” at New York, took passage to London, and insisted upon becoming a lay missionary in the Victoria Docks and Limehoase areas of London.

After four or five years of this work he met the Bishon of Melanesia, the Bt. Rev W. H. Baddeley, who was on a visit tc London, and was accepted for work ir Melanesia. It was intended that hi should become Master of the “Southen Cross”, but the position had been fillet when he reached the islands in 1936 He served instead in some of the larg( launches running supplies for the missioi stations in the Solomons and on Nev Britain.

In 1938 he took charge of the Mission’! large boys’ school of All Hallows, at Pawa on the island of Ugi in the Solomons At the same time Bishop Baddeley ordained him a priest of the Church o England, despite his lack of a Universit; degree in Theology or Divinity.

Father Hill made a great success of thi school, showing how the youthfu Melanesian character can be moulded b; religion, education and discipline. Th Pawa school became a byword for it high standard, and a showplace in th islands. In 1953 the MBE was awards to Father Hill in recognition of his edu cational work. In 1954 the Bishopric fel vacant, and his colleagues asked Fathe Hill to take charge of the Mission, bu he refused, until it was found impossibl to find any other suitable man for th

large responsibility.

The Very Reverend Alfred Hill rt luctantly left his school, but has no’ entered into his greatly increased fiel of labour with his usual dynamic energ] wide experience, and an unquenchab] humour which could be called positive! mischievous if he were not My Lor Bishop of Melanesia.—BßETT HILDER.