John Moorman Archive

Biographical History

Bishop John Richard Humpidge Moorman was born in 1905. After his ordination in 1929, Moorman was first curate of Holbeck, Leeds before being appointed Rector of Fallowfield, Manchester. During the Second World War he laboured as a farmhand in Wharfedale, and re-opened Chichester Theological College in 1946, serving at the same time as chancellor of Chichester Cathedral. He was appointed Bishop of Ripon in 1959. Throughout his life Moorman wrote and researched Franciscan history and culture.

The history of the Franciscan Order and the vision of its founder's life and work have continued since medieval times to fascinate both academic scholars and ordinary Christians. Prominent among the former was the late Anglican Bishop John R. H. Moorman, who by the time of his death in 1989 had amassed a collection of over 2,000 manuscripts and books on St Francis and the Franciscan movement.

Scope and Content

The archive consists of the personal research papers of Bishop John Richard Humpidge Moorman related to his study of St Francis and the Franciscans.

Provenance

In his will, Bishop Moorman bequeathed his Bibliotheca Franciscana to Gladstone's Library, and endowed a scholarship program to enable students, scholars and authors to utilise this collection for reading and research. His collections were deposited at Gladstone’s Library in the late 20th Century.

Access and Finding Aid

This archive is in the process of being catalogued and cannot be viewed at present.

Reprographics

This archive is in the process of being catalogued and no reprographics requests can be received in relation to it at present.

Additional Information

The Moorman Franciscan Collection of printed items can be found by searching ‘MFC’ on MainCat.

Papers relating to Moorman and his correspondence are held at Lambeth Palace Library.