Arthur Llewellyn Preston (1883 – 19 July 1936)[1] was an Anglican bishop who served as the third Bishop of Woolwich[2] (a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Southwark) from 1932 until his death.
Born in 1883 into a distinguished family — his brother Walter was the Member of Parliament for Mile End then Cheltenham between the wars — to Reuben and Frances Preston, and was educated at Charterhouse and University College, Oxford (he gained an Oxford Master of Arts {MA(Oxon)}). After a period at Oxford House, Bethnal Green, he started ministerial training at Wells Theological College in 1906;[1] he was ordained in 1905.
His title post (first curacy) was at St Mark's, Plumstead,[3] London (1907–1913), after which he was curate at St James the Great, Bethnal Green, London (1913–1917) and then Vicar there (1917–1922).[4] During World War I, he became an army chaplain (1915–1917); he moved from Bethnal Green to become Vicar of St James's Moor Park (Fulham, London; 1922–1924).[1]
Having married Nancy Ward (née Napier) in 1922 — they had three daughters —, from 1924 onwards, he was associated with Lewisham — firstly as Vicar until 1933, and additionally as a much-respected Rural Dean (1930–1932). In 1930, he was appointed a Canon Residentiary of Southwark Cathedral by Richard Parsons, Bishop of Southwark, and, in 1932, Archdeacon of Lewisham and a suffragan bishop of the diocese (as Bishop of Woolwich). He was ordained and consecrated a bishop on St Andrew's Day (30 November) 1932 by Cosmo Gordon Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury, in Southwark Cathedral.[5] In 1933, he became Sub-Dean of the cathedral and his book 'The Parish Priest in his Parish' was published.[1]
In 1936, he died whilst aboard his brother's yacht.[6] He was buried at Crowhurst, Surrey.[7] At his memorial service he was described by Priestley Swain, Bishop of Burnley as “A man of great gifts, one of the most thoroughly human persons I have ever known”.[8]