William Cowper (Archdeacon of Cumberland)

William Cowper (28 December 1778 – 6 July 1858) was an English-born Anglican cleric in Australia who was the Archdeacon of Cumberland. His son, also named William Cowper was later the Dean of Sydney.

Cowper was born at Whittington, Lancashire, the son of a yeoman farmer. At 17 years of age Cowper became a tutor in a cleric's family. Later he was a clerk in the royal engineers department at Hull. He was ordained in March 1808 and became a curate in Rawdon near Hull. There he was found by the Reverend Samuel Marsden who induced him to come to Australia.

Cowper arrived at Sydney on 18 August 1809 and became assistant chaplain at a salary of £260 a year. He was also incumbent of St Phillip's Church (the name was spelt this way in honour of the first Governor of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip). He found the state of morality in Sydney deplorable and actively set to work by preaching and, by example, to bring about an improvement. He was one of the founders and secretary of the Benevolent Society of New South Wales and was at one time secretary of six religious and charitable societies. In 1842 Cowper's eyesight began to fail; he obtained leave of absence to go to London to have an operation and was presented with a purse of £780 by his parishioners to cover his expenses. He returned in 1843 with his sight much improved and with a Lambeth degree of Doctor of Divinity which had been conferred on him by the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1848 Cowper was instrumental in starting the building of the new church of St Philip and gave £500 towards the cost of it. In 1849 he had a dangerous illness but recovered, and in 1852 was appointed to administer the diocese during the absence of Bishop Broughton on a visit to England. The bishop died in February 1853 and Cowper had to continue his duties until Bishop Barker arrived in May 1855.

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