| Arthur Sheppard | |
| Honorific Suffix: | MVO |
| Birth Date: | 1862 |
| Birth Place: | Bedford, Bedfordshire, England |
| Death Date: | 21 November 1944 |
| Death Place: | Bedford, Bedfordshire, England |
| Known For: | Private Secretary to the Archbishop of Canterbury (1902-28) |
| Nationality: | British |
Arthur Sheppard (1862–1944) was private secretary to Archbishop Davidson, who served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1902 to 1928.[1] [2]
Sheppard was born in 1862, the son of Arthur Sheppard of Bedford.[3] He was educated at Bedford Modern School.[4]
On leaving school, Sheppard was apprenticed to the printing trade at the offices of the Bedfordshire Times.[5] Following a journalistic career he became editor of The Windsor and Eton Chronicle.[5]
In 1889 he became private secretary to Dr. Davidson, then Dean of Windsor.[5] He accompanied Dr. Davidson successively to the sees of Rochester, Winchester and finally, on his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury, a position he served from 1902 to 1928.[5] He was also secretary of the Cathedrals Commission of the Church Assembly (1925–28) and Secretary of the Tribute to Archbishop Davidson in 1928.
In his book "Cantaur: The Archbishops in Their Office", Edward Carpenter stated that of all Randall Davidson's secretaries 'Arthur Sheppard, who joined his staff in 1899 and retired only in 1923, was pre-eminent'.[6]
Arthur Sheppard married Hannah Elizabeth Grice in 1885 in Bedford.[7] Hannah predeceased him and they had no children. He died on 21 November 1944 in Bedford.[8] Some of Sheppard's correspondence is held at the London School of Economics.[9]