Martin Wharton

Martin Wharton

John Martin Wharton CBE (born 6 August 1944) is a British Anglican bishop. He is the current Bishop of Newcastle.

Wharton was born in Ulverston, Lancashire, the son of John Wharton and Marjorie Skinner. He was educated at Ulverston Grammar School and Van Mildert College, Durham where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, politics and sociology in 1969. He was further educated at Linacre College, Oxford, where he received a bachelor's degree in theology and a Master of Arts in 1971, as well as at Ripon Hall, Oxford.

Wharton was curate of St Peter Spring Hill, Birmingham from 1972 to 1975 and of St John the Baptist, Croydon from 1975 to 1977. Between 1977 and 1983 he was Director of Pastoral Studies at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford and between 1983 and 1992 he was the Director of Ministry and Training in the Diocese of Bradford and a residentiary canon of Bradford Cathedral. In 1992, Wharton became Bishop of Kingston-upon-Thames and held this post until 1997, when he was appointed the 11th Bishop of Newcastle.

Wharton is a trustee of St Hilda's Trust, of the Northumbria Historic Churches Trust and The Hild Bede Trust. He is also trustee of the Shepherds Law Hermitage Trust and the Newcastle Diocesan Society. He served for ten years as Chair of Governors of St Chad's College, Durham. The College made him an Honorary Fellow in 2010.

Wharton was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to the Church of England and to the community in the North East.

Since 1970, he has been married to Marlene Olive Duckett. They have one daughter and two sons.