The Bishop of Wakefield writes:
THE Revd Richard Eckersley, who died on 11 July, aged 88, was a
priest in a million. He spent his earliest years in Lancashire,
where his father was a businessman. His parents moved to Edinburgh,
where Richard received his first schooling. Aged eight, he was sent
off to Ellesmere College in the Midlands.
From there, he went on to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he
began to read theology. Less than a year into his undergraduate
time, his father died, and the course was interrupted. Even on
returning to Cambridge, his degree was further interrupted, as he
gave two years' service in the Royal Navy. Richard had great
affection for his mother, who was quite eccentric.
From Cambridge, Richard moved southwards to train for the
priesthood at Chichester Theological College. His first curacy was
at St John the Baptist, Rudmore, just at the gateway into
Portsmouth, on the west side of Portsea Island; many were the tales
that Richard would tell of his time there.
His second curacy was next door, at St Mark's, North End, where
his training incumbent was Christopher Pepys, later Bishop of
Buckingham. Richard was one of a galaxy of talented young priests
who trained together, including Richard Eyre (later Dean of
Exeter), Barney Milligan, Tom Christie, and Nicolas Stacey.
Richard's first sole cure was at St Michael's, Paulsgrove, a
large post-war housing estate to the north of Portsmouth, with its
fair share of problems. Throughout his ministry, he was in his
element when engaging with those living in less privileged
circumstances. From Paulsgrove, he went to St Nicholas's, the
ancient parish church of Brighton. Here, as everywhere, he gathered
a remarkable variety of people, establishing St Nicholas's as a
"church for all".
In 1984, Richard, rather to his own surprise, was invited to
become a residentiary canon at Portsmouth Cathedral. In some ways,
Richard was not an obvious cathedral man. He immediately embraced
his work there, however, with his unendingly generous and warm,
caring ministry. He was himself embraced by the cathedral
congregation. He also became pastor to the diocesan clergy working
with the bishop, being with people through thick and thin.
Sometimes people distinguish between a priest's priest and a
people's priest; Richard was everyone's priest. His care was always
evident, and not just in crises. He was great company, with a
marvellous sense of humour. When he telephoned or called at your
door, it was never a knock or a shout. Instead, it was his
inevitable "cock-a-doodle do"; that was his signature tune. We are
all the poorer for his going from us.
Happily, he was spared any suffering, dying almost instantly of
a heart attack as he was boarding the Isle of Wight ferry, going
for a day out - and, predictably, to meet one of numberless
priest-friends who will miss him dearly.
