Walter Hussey

Walter Hussey (15 May 1909–1985) was an Anglican clergyman who had a great fondness for the arts, commissioning a number of musical compositions and visual art for the church as well as amassing his own collection.

Hussey was born in Northampton and was educated at Marlborough College. After reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Keble College, Oxford, he studied at Ripon College Cuddesdon and was ordained in 1932.

His first ministry was as Assistant Curate at St Mary Abbots, Kensington, although within 5 years he was Vicar of St Matthew's, Northampton—a post he held from 1937 to 1955. As vicar of St Matthew's he celebrated the church's fiftieth anniversary by commissioning Rejoice in the Lamb from Benjamin Britten. He later organised a concert by Kirsten Flagstad. Other commissions included Henry Moore's Madonna and Child sculpture, a Litany and Anthem for St Matthew's Day from W. H. Auden, Lo, the full, final sacrifice from Gerald Finzi, Crucifixion from Graham Sutherland, and The Outer Planet from Norman Nicholson.

He left Northampton to become Dean of Chichester Cathedral, holding the post until he retired in 1977. Whilst there he commissioned Graham Sutherland to paint an altarpiece, asked Leonard Bernstein to compose the Chichester Psalms and also worked with John Piper, Geoffrey Clarke, Cecil Collins, Ceri Richards, William Walton, and Marc Chagall.

Hussey's own collection of art was bequeathed to the city of Chichester and is now housed in Pallant House Gallery.

Church of England titles
Preceded by
Arthur Stuart Duncan-Jones
Dean of Chichester
1955 – 1977
Succeeded by
Robert Tinsley Holtby
Deans of Chichester
High Medieval
  • Odo
  • Richard
  • Matthew
  • Richard
  • John de Greneford
  • Jordan de Meleburn
  • Seffride
  • Matthew de Chichester
  • Nicholas de Aquila
  • Seffride
  • Simon de Perigord
  • Walter
  • Thomas de Lichfield
  • Geoffrey
  • Walter de Glocestria
  • Thomas de Berghstede
Late Medieval
  • William de Grenefeld
  • John de St Leophardo
  • Henry de Garland
  • Walter de Segrave
  • William Lenn
  • Roger de Freton
  • Richard Ie Scrope
  • William de Lullyngton
  • John de Maydenhith
  • John Haselee
  • Henry Lovel
  • Richard Talbot
  • William Milton
  • John Patten/Waynflete
  • John Crutchere
  • John Waynfleet
  • John Cloos
Early modern
  • John Prychard
  • Geoffrey Symson
  • John Young
  • William Fleshmonger
  • Richard Caurden
  • Giles Eyre
  • Bartholomew Traheron
  • Thomas Sampson
  • William Pye
  • Hugh Turnbull
  • Richard Curteys
  • Anthony Rushe
  • Martin Culpepper
  • William Thorne
  • Francis Dee
  • Richard Steward
  • George Aglionby
  • Bruno Ryves
  • Joseph Henshaw
  • Joseph Gulston
  • Nathaniel Crew
  • Thomas Lambrook
  • George Stradling
  • Francis Hawkins
  • William Hayley
  • Thomas Sherlock
  • John Newey
  • Thomas Hayley
  • James Hargraves
  • William Ashburnham
  • Thomas Ball
  • Charles Harward
Late modern
  • Combe Miller
  • Christopher Bethell
  • Samuel Slade
  • George Chandler
  • Walter Hook
  • John Burgon
  • Francis Pigou
  • Richard Randall
  • John Hannah
  • Arthur Duncan Jones
  • Walter Hussey
  • Robert Holtby
  • John Treadgold
  • Nicholas Frayling
Authority control
  • VIAF: 42917965
Persondata
Name Hussey, Walter
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth 15 May 1909
Place of birth
Date of death 1985
Place of death