William Grant Broughton

1788-1853. Anglican bishop. Educated at Cambridge, he was ordained in 1818 and spent his years as a country curate in scholarly work. In 1828 he was appointed second archdeacon of New South Wales. Although a High Churchman with sympathy for the Tractarians,* he was regarded by the evangelical chaplains of the colony as not hostile to the Gospel. His ecclesiastical opinions led to conflicts with liberal opinion in the colony. In 1836 he was consecrated as first bishop of Australia. He traveled widely and in the 1840s made the first divisions of his vast diocese. He became the first bishop of Sydney. In 1850 he initiated discussions about self-government for the Church of England in Australia at a conference of six bishops in Sydney. His death delayed progress in this direction.