Mervyn George Haigh (14 September 1887 – 20 May 1962) was an Anglican clergyman who served as the third bishop of the restored see of CoventryBishop Haigh An Influential Churchman (Obituaries), The Times Monday, 21 May 1962; p. 12; Issue 55396; col D in the modern era and the 97th Bishop of Winchester in a long line stretching back to the 7th century.List of Bishops of Winchester
He was born on 14 September 1887, the son of an Anglican clergyman and was educated at Clifton College, Bristol"Clifton College Register" Muirhead, J.A.O. p223: Bristol; J.W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society; April, 1948 In later life he sat on the college's council, 1948–1961 and New College, Oxford.
After university he took Holy Orders and embarked on a clerical career that was to last for over 40 years. He served in curacies in East Finchley and Chelsea until he was appointed, during the First World War, a Temporary Chaplain to the Forces in January, 1917. He was posted to East Africa, having indicated in his interview that he 'leans to a hot climate'.Index Card Museum of Army Chaplaincy He arrived at Dar-Es-Salaam at the end of May, and was sent to Dodoma, about 300 miles inland. Haigh was already acquainted with the Senior Chaplain, Percy Guinness, who was the first chaplain to win a DSO in 1914 in France. At Dodoma, Haigh found that the main problems were caused not by the Germans but by disease and boredom. To alleviate the boredom, he created a grass hall lit by electricity for recreational purposes. When the Dodoma base closed, he was transferred to Dar-Es-Salaam where he was instrumental in building and equipping a second institute. He also lectured to troops on VD, where his 'plainness of speech won a sympathy and understanding which was remarkable'.RAChD 1962 journal. Article by GF Trench Haigh, however, did not escape disease, and a second dose of Seven Day Fever led to his demobilisation.TNA WO374/30022. Service Record He would have lifelong problems with poor health, caused or worsened by his East Africa experiences. He had performed well enough in East Africa, however, to be twice mentioned in despatches.Who Was Who, A and C Black
From 1919 until 1924 he was Chaplain and Lecturer at the Ordination Test School, Knutsford, and Examining Chaplain to the Bishop of Llandaff but his big breakthrough came with his appointment to be the Archbishop of Canterbury's Private Secretary, a post he was to hold under two separate incumbents until his elevation to the rank of Bishop in 1931. He was appointed Bishop of Coventry, and served the diocese well especially during the terrible bombing of the city during World War II. In 1942 he was translated to Bishop of Winchester, the enthronement taking place on 30 September that year.Order of Ceremonial at the enthronement of the Right Reverend Mervyn Haigh, DD, Lord Bishop of Winchester, on Wednesday 30 September 1942- Classified at Lambeth Palace Library G119 44.42 Haigh was, by 1942, highly regarded and was considered for the vacancies of Archbishop of Canterbury in 1942, when Cosmo Lang retired, and in 1944 following the sudden death of William Temple.TNA PREM5/378 However, Haigh, although he had a 'Fine Presence', was prone to depression, and this counted against him. The Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, was not keen to appoint Geoffrey Fisher in 1944 without seeing an alternative. Haigh lunched with Churchill on 22 December 1944,Duff Cooper Diaries, edited by John Julius Norwich, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2005, p. 341. but on 2 January 1945, Fisher was appointed to Canterbury. Haigh, seems, therefore, to have been the 'runner-up' to Fisher. Fisher had been Bishop of London but would not recommend Haigh as his successor because, although Haigh was 'brilliant', he was too negative and unable to withstand the pressures of the post both physically and mentally.Lambeth Palace Library, Fisher 3
A deep thinker"Mervyn Haigh" Barry, F.R: London, SPCK,1964 and loyal monarchist, Haigh chaired the Joint Committee which revised the Amended Lectionary."An introduction to the Amended Lectionary for Sundays and Certain Holy Days" Haigh, M.G. (ed.): London, SPCK, 1948 He resigned his post in 1952 and was honoured by Winchester CollegeAd Portas before retiring to North Wales where he became involved in several rural campaigns.Snowdonia National Park Joint Advisory Committee; Caernarvonshire National Park Planning Committee; Merioneth National Park Planning Committee The Times Monday, 24 September 1962; p. 18; Issue 55504; col C He died on 20 May 1962, his papers bequeathed to the nation.
William Wand, who succeeded Fisher as Bishop of London, regarded Haigh as 'a good man and a great prelate'. He reflected on Haigh's sharp mind and quick tongue which could demolish ill-thought through proposals and made Haigh the 'best machine-gunner on the bench' of bishops.Church Quarterly Review, 1965 Even though plagued by poor health, he was an exceptional bishop.
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