Crockford’s Clerical Directory provides biographies of more than 26,000 clergy and deaconesses in the Church of England (including the Diocese in Europe), the Church in Wales, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the Church of Ireland. This web site, the online edition, is updated on a weekly basis. Crockford is also available in printed form, published every two years.

The history of Crockford's Clerical Directory

First published in 1858, the publication of Crockford now spans almost one and a half centuries. The Oxford University Press purchased the copyright for Crockford in 1921, publishing thirty-six editions before transferring ownership to the Church Commissioners and the Central Board of Finance, on economic grounds, sixty years later. The last eight editions of Crockford were the joint responsibility of the Central Board of Finance and the Church Commissioners, and Crockford is now under the sole ownership of the Archbishops’ Council. Within the 98th edition (2004-2005), we welcome the reintroduction of biographical entries for the presiding archbishops of all those churches that comprise the Anglican Communion.

The publication and compilation of Crockford

The publishing, design, advertising, selling and distribution of the directory are carried out by Church House Publishing in partnership with the Crockford department, who are responsible for the actual compilation of the text. The information that generates the biographical entries is stored on a database, which is updated daily. Much of this information is obtained from the direct link with the Church Commissioners’ central clergy pay-roll. Any alterations to this pay-roll (for example, changes of address or appointment) are automatically reflected on the Crockford database. However, approximately 7,000 (nearly 30 per cent) of the clergy are not on the central pay-roll. These are principally non-stipendiary ministers, those engaged in some form of ministry outside the parochial system (such as hospital, university, prison or service chaplains) and those serving in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. In maintaining the records of these clergy, we continue to rely greatly on the assistance of bishops’ secretaries and diocesan offices, and information contained in diocesan directories, year books and the Church press. We are also grateful for the help provided by the central authorities of the Church in Wales, the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Church of Ireland, the Ministry of Defence, the Hospital Chaplaincies Council, and our various overseas contacts.

A tremendous amount of help has come from the clergy themselves. We are enormously grateful to all those who have provided us with information, and have helped to minimize omissions and errors. For reasons of time, space and consistency, we are unable to include all the information clergy request us to publish, and we apologize that it has not been possible to respond to each letter individually. We are also grateful to Richard Christmas and Angela Florence, who have been responsible for most of the work in compiling the directory, and have coped with a rush of last-minute correspondence.

Further information and how to request an amendment

We are always glad to be informed of amendments to entries, and we particularly appreciate any information about clergy whose addresses are not currently known to us.

Information relating to omissions or amendments should be sent to the Crockford department (subscribers can also make a change request online from the page detailing an individual record); requests for archival information from earlier editions should be addressed in writing to Lambeth Palace Library; and requests for other information should be addressed to the Church of England Enquiry Centre.

Contact details

Crockford Department
Church House
Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3AZ
Tel: (020) 7898 1012
Email: crockford@c-of-e.org.uk

The Librarian
Lambeth Palace Library
Lambeth Palace
London SE1 7JU
Fax: (020) 7928 7932

Church of England Enquiry Centre
Church House
Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3AZ
Tel: (020) 7898 1445
Email: feedback@c-of-e.org.uk