Donald Frederick Wilkinson (buried 1965)

Donald Frederic Wilkinson 1895 - 1965 

Rector of Heene from 1947 to 1958.

Donald Frederick Wilkinson was born in Taunton, Somerset on the 17th February 1895. His father, the Rev. Thomas Wilkinson, was the minister at St. Paul’s Meeting Congregational Church in Paul Street, Taunton. His mother was Eunice, Margaret Smith from Springhead, Yorkshire.

By 1908 Donald and his family were living in Liverpool with his 2 sisters, Maria and Eunice, and his brother, Arthur. In 1911, he attended Liverpool College with his brother Arthur. His father, Rev Thomas Wilkinson gave the Founder’s Day lecture at their college in 1913 at which time Donald was a senior prefect.

Donald matriculated to University College, Oxford in 1913. His time at Oxford was cut short by the outbreak of war as he was gazetted to the 12th battalion of the King’s Own Liverpool Regiment in December 1914 as a 2nd Lieutenant. In 1916 he was hospitalised suffering from entiritis and returned to the 13th battalion, On the 3rd May 1917 he was involved in the Monchy-le-Preux campaign. For his actions during this campaign he was awarded the Military Cross. The citation in the Gazette July 1917  was:  ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During an attack, although wounded and blinded in one eye, he went forward and established an advanced bombing post, which he held for some hours until compelled by intense fire to withdraw. He subsequently showed the greatest gallantry in carrying back wounded men from No Man’s Land.’ He was promoted to the rank of captain. Donald received the military cross from the king in a ceremony  in February 1918. Donald was transferred to the regiments barracks at Cork before his discharge.

After leaving the army in 1919, he returned to his literature and humanities degree at Oxford, graduating in 1921. He then began ordinand training at St. Stephen’s House, Oxford followed by preparation for ministry training at nearby, Cuddesdon College.

A 1922 curacy at St. Saviour’s with St. Peter’s at Southwark, was his first ministry quickly followed by a spell at St. Guy’s as a hospital chaplain. Donald filled the post of the precentor’s deputy at Southwark Cathedral between 1924 and 1926 and then became the vice-principal of Bishop’s College Cheshunt, a Christian seminary. 

 On Tuesday, 19th June 1928, Donald married Hilda Mary Smyth, the third daughter of the Rev. Basil Broughton Smyth and Grace Elizabeth Massy Smyth of Betteshanger Rectory, Eastry, Kent.  The marriage took place in Edmonton, Essex and Donald’s father officiated at the wedding. 

Donald became the vicar of St. Matthew’s Church, Wimbledon and their first child, John Donald, was born on 28th March 1929 and in 1931, Donald became the Rector of Beckley diocese, Chichester where their daughter, Mary Primrose Ann, was born in 1933.

In 1947, Donald and his family moved to Heene Rectory, Worthing when he became the Rector of Heene.  The following year he was appointed as Rural Dean. In 1952, the Bishop of Chichester appointed him to be Canon and Prebend of Hove Villa. During his time at Heene, Donald took a special interest in the work of the charities of the  armed forces charities and regularly officiated at remembrance ceremonies. Several of the burials at Heene were conducted by Rev. Wilkinson including that of Lewis Sandy.

On leaving Heene, in 1958, Donald became the vicar of Wivelsfield. He died shortly after retiring from this post in 1965 and was cremated at Worth following a ceremony at Wivelsfield Church. The celebrant was the Rev. G. A. Potter, the Rector of Heene at the time.

 Notes:

JOHN DONALD WILKINSON was ordained deacon on Trinity Sunday. May 27 1956, at St. Paul's Cathedral. He worked amongst a large staff of clergy in the East End parish of 5, Dunstan's, Stepney. A former pupil of Haileybury College, Hertfordshire, he served his two years National Service in the Army as a Second Lieutenant in Malaya. John graduated from Merton College, Oxford, and Cuddesdon College.