The Venerable William Alexander "Nobby" Noblett, CBE (born 16 April 1953) is an Anglo-Irish retired Anglican priest[1] and manager. He was Chaplain-General of Prisons from 2001[2] to 2011.[3]

The Venerable Noblett was educated at The High School, Dublin, Southampton University, and Salisbury & Wells Theological College, with a B.Th. from Southampton in 1978, graduating with an M.Th. in Applied Theology at Oxford University in 1998.[4] He was ordained deacon in 1978 and priest in 1979. After a curacy in Sholing he served the Church of Ireland as the Rector of Ardamine Union in the Republic of Ireland from 1980 to 1982. He was a Chaplain in the RAF from 1982 to 1984;[5] and Vicar of St Thomas, Middlesbrough from 1984 to 1987.

In the late 1980s he entered the chaplaincy service of HM Prisons. Noblett was a chaplain at Wakefield, Norwich and Full Sutton prisons 1987-2001, before becoming Chaplain General and Archdeacon of Prisons. The Venerable Noblett was a Canon and Prebend of York Minster from 2001 to 2012, and is a Canon Emeritus; an Honorary Canon of Liverpool Cathedral from 2009 to 2012; and has been a Chaplain to the Sovereign since 2005. He received the 2013 Perrie Award for his 'outstanding contribution to the criminal justice system'. During his time as prison chaplain, he published "Prayers for People in Prison" (1998) and "Inside Faith: praying for people in prison" (2009).

In 2009 the Venerable Noblett was made an Honorary Life Member of the American Correctional Chaplains Association in recognition of his leadership.[6] At the conclusion of the Venerable Noblett's term as Chaplain General, which saw him criticised for a perceived condescending attitude towards traditional religious belief,[7] the Church of England faced the possible loss of the Chaplain General's position.[8] [9]

References

  1. ‘NOBLETT, Ven. William Alexander’, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2013 ; online edn, Dec 2013 accessed 29 March 2014
  2. Church news The Times (London, England), Tuesday, 5 June 2001; pg. 16; Issue 67157
  3. BBC News
  4. Debretts
  5. London Gazette 8 June 1982
  6. "Home". perrie. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  7. Today, Christian (24 July 2006). "Chaplain General Called to Resign Following Prison Discipleship Course Closure". www.christiantoday.com. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  8. "Church of England faces a fresh blow with the loss of leading role in prisons". 7 July 2023. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  9. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/uk-17020294


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