Stanley Eric Francis Booth-Clibborn, Church Missionary Society missionary in Kenya and Bishop of Manchester, was born on 20 October 1924 into the family that founded the Salvation Army. Throughout his life he sought to combine his belief in Christianity with the promotion of social justice and the support of the poor and oppressed. He spent four years in the army, including two in India, then went to Oriel College, Oxford graduating BA (1951) and MA (1956). In 1950 he had studied at Westcott House in Cambridge and in 1952 he was ordained a deacon and a year later a priest. His first posts as a curate were in Sheffield (1952-56) but he was then accepted as a missionary to Kenya.
Booth-Clibborn arrived in Africa in 1956 where he was to have varied ecumenical responsibilities included editing Rock and Target, influential church newspapers in East Africa. He was especially concerned to promote church unity and the development of the African church leadership during the political upheaval around the time of the Mau Mau rebellion.
On returning to England in 1967 Booth-Clibborn became a minister in Lincoln but was also involved with the International Affairs Department of the British Council of Churches, and his wife Anne (nee Forrester) was Vice-Chair of Christian Aid for a time. He then moved to Cambridge in 1970 spending 9 years at St Mary the Great. From 1979 he was Bishop of Manchester and regarded with great affection and respect even by those who disagreed with his with his views, he was, for example, a strong supporter of women's ordination. He retired in 1992 and went, with his wife, to live in Edinburgh. His interest in Africa had continued and the Booth-Clibborns were invited by the National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK), in co-operation with Christian Aid, to monitor the 1992 Kenyan elections. The Rt. Rev. Stanley Booth-Clibborn died on 6 March 1996.
From the guide to the Collection of the Rt. Rev. Stanley Booth-Clibborn (1924-1996), 1957-1996, (Edinburgh University Library)
