| Short Title: | Suffragan Bishops Act 1534[1] |
| Type: | Act |
| Parliament: | Parliament of England |
| Long Title: | An Acte for nominacion and consecracyon of Suffragans wythin this Realme.[2] |
| Year: | 1534 |
| Statute Book Chapter: | 26 Hen. 8. c. 14 |
| Royal Assent: | 18 December 1534 |
| Related Legislation: | Suffragan Bishops Act 1898 |
| Status: | Amended |
| Original Text: | https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge00raitgoog/page/n252/mode/2up |
| Use New Uk-Leg: | yes |
The Suffragan Bishops Act 1534 (26 Hen. 8. c. 14) is an Act of the Parliament of England that authorised the appointment of suffragan (i.e., assistant) bishops in England and Wales. The tradition of appointing suffragans named after a town in the diocese other than the town the diocesan bishop is named after can be dated from this act.
The act named Thetford, Ipswich, Colchester, Dover, Guildford, Southampton, Taunton, Shaftesbury, Molton, Marlborough, Bedford, Leicester, Gloucester, Shrewsbury, Bristol, Penrydd,[3] Bridgwater, Nottingham, Grantham, Hull, Huntingdon, Cambridge, Penrith, Berwick-upon-Tweed, St Germans and the Isle of Wight[4] [5] as specific suitable suffragan sees.
This act was partly in force in Great Britain at the end of 2010.[6]
The repeal by the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1969 of section 2 of the Act of Supremacy (1 Eliz. 1. c. 1) (1558) does not affect the continued operation, so far as unrepealed, of the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534.[7]
| Short Title: | Suffragan Bishops Act 1898 |
| Type: | Act |
| Parliament: | Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Long Title: | An Act to explain the Act as to Suffragan Bishops. |
| Year: | 1898 |
| Citation: | 61 & 62 Vict. c. 11 |
| Royal Assent: | 1 July 1898 |
| Commencement: | 1 July 1898 |
| Related Legislation: | Suffragan Bishops Act 1898 |
| Status: | current |
| Use New Uk-Leg: | yes |
| Uk-Leg Title: | Suffragan Bishops Act 1898 |
| Collapsed: | yes |
Since 1898, notwithstanding anything contained in the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534 it has been lawful to nominate, present and appoint as suffragan bishop persons already consecrated as a bishop and, in that case, the letters patent presenting them do not require their consecration.[8] The Dioceses Measure 1978 concerns petitions to make appointments under this act.[9] Until 1898, men already in episcopal orders were sometimes made assistant bishops instead.
In this section, the words from "and have such capacitie" to the end were repealed by section 15(2)(a) of the Dioceses Measure 1978. This repeal does not invalidate any commission given to a suffragan bishop which was in force immediately before the commencement of that Measure (s. 15(3)). Section 15(4) provides for such commissions to continue in force until the date on which the suffragan bishop to whom the commission was given ceases to hold that office, or the date on which the commission is revoked by the bishop of the diocese, whichever first occurs. So long as any such commission remains in force so much of section 2 of the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534 as is repealed by 15(2)(a) of that Measure continues, notwithstanding the repeal, to apply to the suffragan bishop to whom the commission was given (s. 15(5)).
In this section, the words from "nor use" to the end were repealed by section 15(2)(b) of the Dioceses Measure 1978. This repeal does not invalidate any commission given to a suffragan bishop which was in force immediately before the commencement of that Measure (s. 15(3)). Section 15(4) provides for such commissions to continue in force until the date on which the suffragan bishop to whom the commission was given ceases to hold that office, or the date on which the commission is revoked by the bishop of the diocese, whichever first occurs. So long as any such commission remains in force so much of section 2 of the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534 as is repealed by 15(2)(b) of that Measure continues, notwithstanding the repeal, to apply to the suffragan bishop to whom the commission was given (s. 15(5)).
In this section, the words "of the bishop to whom he shall be suffragan" were substituted for the words "where he shall have comyssyon" by section 15(6) of the Dioceses Measure 1978.
This section was repealed by Part V of Schedule 1 to the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1977.
Those titles mandated by the 1534 Act currently in use as suffragan sees today are indicated in bold type:
| Short Title: | Suffragans Nomination Act 1888 |
| Type: | Act |
| Parliament: | Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Long Title: | An Act to make further provision for the Nomination of Bishops Suffragans. |
| Year: | 1888 |
| Citation: | 51 & 52 Vict. c. 56 |
| Status: | amended |
| Original Text: | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/51-52/56/enacted |
| Use New Uk-Leg: | yes |
| Uk-Leg Title: | Suffragans Nomination Act 1888 |
| Collapsed: | yes |
Since the passage of the Suffragans Nomination Act 1888, it has been lawful to create suffragan sees named for other towns. These have so far included (those titles currently in use as suffragan sees today are indicated in bold type):
In 2015, research by the Church's Legal Office on behalf of the Dioceses Commission uncovered fourteen "forgotten" suffragan Sees which had been erected by Orders-in-Council in 1889 but never filled.[11] The Dioceses Commission has advised that these may be revived and filled just as any other dormant See might.[12] By Order-in-Council dated 6 April 1889:
By Order-in-Council dated 5 July 1889:
Further — besides that of Penrydd (now in St David's diocese), erected by the 1534 Act — six further Welsh Sees were erected following the 1888 Act: at Cardiff (in Llandaff diocese), Carnarvon (Bangor), Holyhead (Bangor), Monmouth (then in Llandaff, now a diocesan See), Wrexham (St Asaph) and Swansea (then in St David's, now a diocesan See as Swansea and Brecon).[13]