Was Bishop George Augustus Selwyn ever the bishop of Sydney?
It is a well-known fact that Bishop George Augustus Selwyn, Bishop of New Zealand initially declined the Bishopric of Lichfield, England, but it is little known that he had previously declined appointment as Metropolitan of the Australian Church.
The Morning Chronicle newspaper in Sydney in 1853, announced that Bishop George Augustus Selwyn, Bishop of New Zealand had been appointed as the new Metropolitan of the Australian Church “which we yesterday announced would be offered to his lordship on his arrival in England. Bishop of Sydney (Morning Chronicle, 8 December 1853). In New Zealand, the New Zealand Spectator and Cooks’ Strait Guardian republished the long biographical article in April 1854 (22 April, 1854).
Discussion in the House of Lords in June 1854 (reported in the New Zealander, 23 September 1854) throws some light on the situation – that Bishop Selwyn had been offered and had declined the translation to Sydney, and regret about the delay in an appointment following the death of the former bishop, William Broughton, in February 1853, was noted. The position had been offered to another, had been declined, and then offered to Selwyn.
Unfortunately, The Duke of Newcastle (about to retire as Secretary to the Colonies) sent a communication to Selwyn, and it appears publicly, assuming acceptance and not realising that the gentleman in question was already on his way to England, having sailed on the Commodore on 31 December in the company of Sir George Grey.
However, on arrival in England, following further communication, the position was declined.
