Ernest Copleston

Ernest Arthur Copleston (1855 – 24 August 1933The Times, Saturday, Aug 26, 1933; pg. 1; Issue 46533; col A Deaths) was an Anglican bishop in the first half of the 20th century.”A History of the Church of England in India” Chatterton, E: London, SPCK, 1924

He was born in Barnes, Surrey, the fourth son of Rev. Reginald Edward, vicar of Barnes, fellow of Exeter College, Oxford,"Ecclesiastical Intelligence", The Times (London), Thursday, 30 January 1902; pg. 6; Issue 36678; col B and Anne Elizabeth née Sharpe,[http://thepeerage.com/p6025.htm thePeerage.com] educated at St John's College, Oxford“Who was Who” 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 {{ISBN|978-0-19-954087-7}} and ordained in 1878.Ordinations OxfordThe Times Tuesday, Sep 24, 1878; pg. 8; Issue 29368; col D His career began with curacies at St Luke's Church, Maidenhead[http://www.stlukeschurchmaidenhead.org.uk/ Church web-site] and St. Paul's Church, Kandy.[http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/lanka/kandy/sp01.html Church description] On 18 August 1883 he was appointed the incumbent at the Holy Emmanuel Church, Moratuwa, together with St Peter’s Church, Koralawella,"The Clergy List" London, Kelly's 1913 and then Principal of the Diocesan Training College, Kandy until 1903.{{cite book | last=Malden Richard (ed) | author-link= | title= Crockford's Clerical Directory for 1920 (51st edn) | location= London | publisher= The Field Press| pages=304| year=1920 | isbn=}} On 30 August 1903 he was consecrated as the fifth Anglican Bishop of Colombo at St. Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta. A position in which he served for 21 years, until he was replaced by Mark Carpenter-Garnier in 1924.

His brother Reginald Stephen Copleston was also an Anglican bishop, whilst another brother, Frederick Selwyn Copleston, was the first Chief Judge of the Chief Court of Lower Burma. His nephew Frederick Copleston, son of Frederick Selwyn Copleston, was a notable Jesuit priest.