Press release from Number 10
Dean of Peterborough: Christopher Charles Dalliston
From:Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published:1 November 2017
The Very Reverend Christopher Charles Dalliston has been appointed as Dean of Peterborough.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Very Reverend Christopher Charles Dalliston, MA, Dean of Newcastle in the Diocese of Newcastle, to be appointed to the Deanery of the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, Peterborough, on the resignation of the Very Reverend Charles William Taylor, MA, on 6 October 2016.
Further information
The Very Reverend Christopher Dalliston, (aged 61) studied modern History at Peterhouse Cambridge and Theology at Oxford where he trained for the ministry at St Stephen’s House.
He served his title at Halstead in Chelmsford Diocese from 1984 to 1987, before becoming the Bishop of Chelmsford’s Domestic Chaplain from 1987 to 1991. From 1991 to 1995 he was Vicar of St Edmund Forest Gate in Chelmsford Diocese.
From 1995 to 1997 he moved to be Priest-in-Charge of Boston in Lincoln Diocese and then Vicar from 1997 to 2003 and was also Rural Dean of Holland East during that time. Since 2003 he has been Dean of Newcastle.
Christopher is married to Michelle who is also ordained. He has four adult children: Alex, Tom, Georgie and Bella. His interests include poetry, music and all things Italian. He is a life-long supporter of Norwich City Football Club.
As a former curate of Boston (1977-1980), long before Christopher Dalliston was there, may I wish the Dean well in his new ministry as he returns from the far North to the beautiful Fens.
A good man and an superb administrator. Obviously Newcastle’s loss/Peterborough’s gain, etc, but Chris is someone who will, in a very pleasant and courteous way, “sort things out”, and also someone who will leave a real and sustainable legacy.
I wish his family well too. It mentions in passing that his wife is ordained. Michelle is a wonderful priest.
I’m waiting for the announcement of the next Dean or Bishop to say ‘s/he hates football’.
Surely David – a far more important qualification for a male ordinand in the C.of E. is to love cricket?
There are limits to what even the Church of England can tolerate, David Emmott.
David “I HATE FOOTBALL”
Do you think that’s the reason why I’ve never been offered a Deanery or a Bishoprick? Personally, I can think of other reasons!
I agree, Chris Dalliston is a very good thing indeed. It is interesting that, after Tim Sledge withdrew his acceptance (and he – and his health – remains the focus of many of our prayers), they obviously decided not to go back to the original shortlist and applicants (a fair few of us know who applied because, when the C of E IT bods reconfigured data storage several months ago, part of the collateral damage was the appearance of the applications for the Deanery of Peterborough for a brief while until someone raised the alarm). It is reassuring for many… Read more »
Football and music/poetry. Obviously hedging bets—the way to get on both bishop and dean shortlists.
When will it get through to communications officers and candidates themselves that personal interests are usually irrelevant and that football, in particular, evokes negative as well as positive feelings.
Personally I prefer opera.
I agree re. opera – but that would be far too high brow to be admitted into the ranks of the ecclesiastical great and the good. They need to shew their street cred wiv the Yoof and attract them to cathedral Raves in the Naves. Hence the obligatory declared support for some Football team or other.
We are both relieved and delighted here in Peterborough. Not only was Dean Charles Taylor a grievous loss to us, as a man of humanity, holiness and humour (apologies for the weak alliteration!); but we have lost two very experienced and highly regarded residentiary canons over the summer. To have a new Dean who is not an icon of the ‘corporate’ image of the C of E is very welcome. We have no doubt about the scale of the task that now faces him, as he seeks to recruit new Chapter colleagues, but we have high hopes that he will… Read more »
Should have mentioned his love of hill walking; a strange omission in these strange times. Or is love of hill walking just a bishop thing?
Hill walking is definitely on the Bishop template.
What happened to a love of trains in general and steam locomotives in particular? It used to be an essential part of the prelate/minor prelate DNA. Things just aren’t what they used to be.
Hillwalking is not really very practical in the Fens.
When I’m asked to write a paragraph about myself for some diocesan committee or other, I always include the fact that I’m a folk musician and can be seen regularly around the coffee shops of Edmonton playing traditional folk songs. Why? Because I want people to know that I have a life outside my priesthood. If they’re smart, they’ll realize that makes me a better priest (not better than others, but better than I would be if I did nothing else). I’m always glad to see what these bishops’ interests are. It makes them more human to me. And I… Read more »
‘They need to shew their street cred wiv the Yoof and attract them to cathedral Raves in the Naves. Hence the obligatory declared support for some Football team or other.’ You seem to have a rather high degree of omniscience about the motivations of people’s hearts, Father David. Perhaps they’re actually telling the truth about their favourite football team, for no other reason than that they like them? Suspiciously innocent, I know, but there it is! By the way, I’m glad you find the Essex accent amusing. Speaking for myself, when I lived in deepest Essex as a teenager I… Read more »
Surely Mr. Chesterton, omniscience belongs to God alone? I hadn’t personally made any connection with what you describe as “the Essex accent” nor indeed that we were having any kind of competition with regard to accents? All I can say is that having in the past ministered in Essex for a decade I have a high regard and deep affection for the people of Essex and their irrepressible sense of humour. Alas, some people seem to have had a sense of humour by-pass. Speaking of which, I’m sure that you know about the girl from Colchester who unfortunately had a… Read more »