Papers of Charles Forder, Archdeacon of York

Papers and correspondence of Archdeacon Charles Forder, comprising visitation charges, 1957-1968, 1970-1972; papers concerning Archbishop’s Appeal, including printed leaflets, forms and receipt books, 1933-1948; papers of the York Redundant Churches Commission, including minutes, correspondence and press cuttings, 1964-1969; papers concerning the Diocesan Conference, including minutes of Standing Committee, notices, press cuttings, correspondence and agenda, 1948-1970; papers of the Synodical Government, including minutes, correspondence and memoranda, 1967-1970; Diocesan Re-organisation Reports, including Adair Report and related material, minutes, correspondence and press cuttings, 1965-1972; papers of the York Diocesan Church Buildings Appeal, including minutes, correspondence, reports and memoranda of the Central Committee, 1955-1969, minutes, financial statements and memoranda of sub-commission to consider new appeal, 1962-1963, annual reports, 1955-1964, press publicity, 1956-1957, papers relating to the Humberside Appeal, 1956-1971, papers relating to the Teesside Appeal, 1955-1972, and leaflets, circulars, prayer cards and posters; papers of the Council for Church Building, including minutes, correspondence, reports, financial statements and memoranda, 1957-1972, report on ‘New Housing Areas, 1969, and files on Eastfield in Scarborough, 1970-1972, and Sutton (Wawne) in Hull, 1962-1972; papers of the Church Commissioners Enquiry into new housing areas, 1966-1972; papers of the York Conference on Church Buildings, including correspondence, programme, resolutions and preparations for a debate at the Diocesan Conference, 1967-1969.

Charles Robert Forder was born in Norfolk on 6 January 1907, the son of Henry Forder, a blacksmith, and his wife Mary Ann. Educated at North Walsham Grammar School and then at Christ’s College and Ridley Hall theological college, Cambridge, he was ordained deacon in 1930 and priest in 1931.
His first curacy was that of Hunslet Moor in 1930, followed by the curacy of Burley from 1933 to 1934. In 1934 he became vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Wibsey, in Bradford, in which post he remained until 1940 when he became vicar of another Bradford parish, St Clement’s. He remained there until 1947, acting as organising secretary for the Bradford Church Movement Forward Appeal from 1945.
In 1947 he moved to the Diocese of York, where he would spend the rest of his career. He was vicar of Drypool, Hull, between 1947 and 1955, then rector of Routh and vicar of Wawne between 1955 and 1957. He also acted as chaplain to Hull Prison between 1949 and 1951 and Hull Borstal between 1951 and 1952.
In 1954 he became secretary of the York Diocesan Church Building Appeal which sought to raise money for the rebuilding of war damaged churches and to create new churches to serve new housing developments. He held the post for 22 years. He was also elected to the Church Assembly in 1954 and would later play a role in initiating synodical government in 1970. Between 1958 and 1973 he was a Church Commissioner.
In 1957 Forder was appointed Archdeacon of York and a Canon and Prebend of York Minster. In the same year he moved to Sutton upon Derwent, serving as rector there until 1963 when he became rector of York, Holy Trinity with St John, Micklegate, and St Martin cum Gregory.
Archdeacon Forder’s publications included ‘The Parish Priest at Work’ in 1947, which became the standard manual for newly ordained clergy and was revised and reissued in 1959, ‘Synods in Action’ in 1970, and ‘Churchwardens in Church and Parish’ in 1976, which aimed to encourage greater lay involvement in church life.
Forder retired in 1972 and was granted permission to officiate in the Diocese of York from 1976. He died in Scarborough on 10 October 2008 at the age of 101.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws. 24 hours' notice is required to access photographic material.

The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute in 1976.

Charles Robert Forder was born in Norfolk on 6 January 1907, the son of Henry Forder, a blacksmith, and his wife Mary Ann. Educated at North Walsham Grammar School and then at Christ’s College and Ridley Hall theological college, Cambridge, he was ordained deacon in 1930 and priest in 1931.
His first curacy was that of Hunslet Moor in 1930, followed by the curacy of Burley from 1933 to 1934. In 1934 he became vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Wibsey, in Bradford, in which post he remained until 1940 when he became vicar of another Bradford parish, St Clement’s. He remained there until 1947, acting as organising secretary for the Bradford Church Movement Forward Appeal from 1945.
In 1947 he moved to the Diocese of York, where he would spend the rest of his career. He was vicar of Drypool, Hull, between 1947 and 1955, then rector of Routh and vicar of Wawne between 1955 and 1957. He also acted as chaplain to Hull Prison between 1949 and 1951 and Hull Borstal between 1951 and 1952.
In 1954 he became secretary of the York Diocesan Church Building Appeal which sought to raise money for the rebuilding of war damaged churches and to create new churches to serve new housing developments. He held the post for 22 years. He was also elected to the Church Assembly in 1954 and would later play a role in initiating synodical government in 1970. Between 1958 and 1973 he was a Church Commissioner.
In 1957 Forder was appointed Archdeacon of York and a Canon and Prebend of York Minster. In the same year he moved to Sutton upon Derwent, serving as rector there until 1963 when he became rector of York, Holy Trinity with St John, Micklegate, and St Martin cum Gregory.
Archdeacon Forder’s publications included ‘The Parish Priest at Work’ in 1947, which became the standard manual for newly ordained clergy and was revised and reissued in 1959, ‘Synods in Action’ in 1970, and ‘Churchwardens in Church and Parish’ in 1976, which aimed to encourage greater lay involvement in church life.
Forder retired in 1972 and was granted permission to officiate in the Diocese of York from 1976. He died in Scarborough on 10 October 2008 at the age of 101.

A typescript finding aid, to file level, is available for consultation in the searchroom of the Borthwick Institute.

Created by S. A. Shearn, 22.03.17.

A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

Further accruals are not expected.

Records of the Archdeaconry of York are deposited at the Borthwick Institute as part of the York Diocesan Archive (Reference: YDA). Records of the parishes of Sutton upon Derwent, York, Holy Trinity, Micklegate, St John and St Martin cum Gregory are also deposited at the Borthwick Institute (References: PR/S/D, PR/Y/HTM, PR/Y/J and PR/Y/MG).
Further records relating to Archdeacon Forder and the Paul Report, 1962 (Reference: MS/3446, f.129) are held by Lambeth Palace Library. A photograph of Forder is held by the Church of England Record Centre in Bermondsey (Reference: CIO/PHO/NEG/683).

Published

GB193