 He was educated at Rugby School and Trinity College, Cambridge and ordained in 1927, his first post being as a Curate at St Chrysostom's, Victoria Park, Manchester.He was Chaplain at his old college and after this held incumbencies at Fylde and Hunslet.From 1942 to 1950 he was Rector of St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate and Bishop of Willesden before translating to St Albans.