Augustus Short

Augustus Short (1802-1883), Anglican bishop, was born on 11 June 1802 at Bickham House near Exeter, Devon, England, third son of Charles Short, barrister, and his wife Grace, née Millett. Educated at Westminster and Christ Church, Oxford (B.A., 1824; M.A., 1826; D.D., 1847), he spent two years as tutor and was ordained priest in 1827. After two years as curate at Culham near Abingdon, he became tutor and lecturer at Christ Church, examiner in 1833 and censor in 1834. Next year he was appointed vicar of Ravensthorpe, Northampton, and on 10 December 1835 married Millicent Clara, daughter of John Phillips of Culham House, Oxfordshire. He became interested in the Oxford movement and wrote but did not publish an apologia in defence of Newman's Tract No. 90; in 1846 when he delivered the Bampton lectures at Oxford he steered clear of the controversy and published them as The Witness of the Spirit with Our Spirit.

In 1845 Short was given the choice of either the Adelaide or Newcastle diocese. He chose Adelaide and on 29 June 1847 was consecrated bishop in Westminster Abbey. He arrived in the Derwent on 28 December. His vast diocese, which included Western Australia, had only eight clergy, four church buildings, with five under construction, one parsonage and one school but, helped by state aid he began to build. In October 1848 with Archdeacon Hale he visited Perth where he consecrated St George's Church. With help from the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge and William Allen, he transformed the school which had been started at Trinity Church in Adelaide into the Collegiate School of St Peter, and on 24 May 1849 laid its foundation stone.

He was actively involved in the founding of the University of Adelaide and was vice-president of the University Association. Elected Vice-Chancellor on 11 December 1874, he delivered the University's inaugural address on 25 April 1876 and that year succeeded Sir Richard Davies Hanson as Chancellor.

In 1877 the citizens of Adelaide presented Short with an address and a testimonial to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination. Next year he represented the diocese at the Lambeth Conference. In November 1881 failing health compelled him to resign his see, but he dedicated St Barnabas Theological College and on 6 January 1882 he celebrated his last communion service in the cathedral; he left for England that day. He lived quietly in London until his death on 5 October 1883. He was survived by his wife, three of their five sons and four of their five daughters. His estate was valued for probate at £8200.

Adapted from Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6, (MUP), 1976