Alfred Morris Gelsthorpe (1892-1968) was educated at Hatfield College, Durham. He was ordained as deacon in 1919 and priest in 1920 and became curate of St Gabriel's, Bishop Wearmouth, 1919-1923. He was accepted as a CMS missionary in 1923 and served at Akwa in Eastern Nigeria, becoming Principal of the CMS Akwa Training College in 1928 until 1932. In 1933, he was consecrated as Assistant Bishop to the Bishop on the Niger and in 1938 was appointed as Assistant Bishop to the Bishop in Egypt and the Sudan, Bishop Gwynne. In 1945, when Sudan was created a separate diocese, he became Bishop in the Sudan where he remained until his resignation in 1952. He returned to England where he was rector of Bingham, 1953-1963 and Assistant Bishop of Southwark.
Reference: Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1963-1964 .
From the guide to the Papers of Morris Gelsthorpe, 1924-1973, (University of Birmingham Information Services, Special Collections Department)
