Right Revd George Appleton

George Appleton (1902-93) was educated at Selwyn College, Cambridge, taking up his place in 1921. He was ordained in the Anglican ministry in 1925 and served a two year curacy in Stepney, East London. In 1927 Appleton went to Burma under the auspices of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG). He was missionary in charge at the SPG Mission, Irrawady Delta, 1927-33, and Warden, College of Holy Cross, Rangoon, 1933-41. During the Japanese invasion of Burma Appleton and his wife, Marjorie, organised convalescent homes for wounded and sick soldiers, and subsequently crossed to India. From 1943 to 1946 he was both Archdeacon of Rangoon and Director of Public Relations for the Government of Burma. He returned to Burma with the civil government in 1945 and continued his task of promoting mutual understanding. Forced by ill health to return to England in December 1946, Appleton spent three years, 1947-50, involved in parish work as Vicar of Headstone. He was General Secretary of the Conference of British Missionary Societies, 1950-7, and Rector of St Botolph's, Aldgate, London, 1957-62. In 1962 he was appointed Archdeacon of London and Canon of St Paul's, London; he was Archbishop of Perth and Metropolitan of Western Australia, 1963-8, and Archbishop of Jerusalem, 1968-74. In 1975 he was awarded the Buber-Rosenzweig Medal by the Council of Christians and Jews. Appleton's publications included JOHN'S WITNESS TO JESUS (London, 1955), THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER (London, 1979) and he was general editor of THE OXFORD BOOK OF PRAYER (Oxford, 1989).