Francis Thicknesse

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Francis Henry Thicknesse (né Coldwell; 14 May 1829 – 2 November 1921) was the inaugural Bishop suffragan of Leicester[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=182-hussey&cid=-1&Gsm=2008-06-18#-1 National Archives] from 1888[http://archives.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk:8080/Archives/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqSearch=RefNo=='LC/1888/28/163-6'&dsqCmd=Show.tcl Consecration details]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} until 1903.

He was born Francis Henry Coldwell, son of William Edward Coldwell, Prebendary of Lichfield and Rector of Stafford. He changed his name by royal licence to Thicknesse when he married Anne Thicknesse, daughter and sole heir of Ralph Anthony Thicknesse (MP for Wigan), in Clitheroe on 3 July 1855. The marriage yielded five sons and two daughters.{{cite book|title= The General Armory of England,Scotland, Ireland, Wales Volume 3|year=1878}} One son, Philip Coldwell Thicknesse, became an architect in Liverpool.

He was educated at Bridgnorth Grammar School and Brasenose College, Oxford.“Who was Who” 1897-1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 {{ISBN|0-7136-3457-X}} He was ordained in 1853 and two years later was made Vicar of Deane, Lancashire.[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=52988 British History On-line] Appointed Rural Dean of Bolton le Moors in 1857 he was later Archdeacon of Northampton{{cite book | last=Malden Richard (ed) | author-link= | title= Crockford's Clerical Directory for 1920 (51st edn) | location= London | publisher= The Field Press| pages=1483| year=1920 | isbn=}} before his appointment to the episcopate.The Times, Thursday, Jun 21, 1888; pg. 9; Issue 32418; col F The new Suffragan Bishop of Leicester His last post before retirement was as Rector of Oxendon, Northamptonshire."The Clergy List" London, Kelly's, 1913 At his death he was the oldest Anglican Bishop.Oldest English Bishop. Death Of Dr. Thicknesse The Times Thursday, Nov 03, 1921; pg. 13; Issue 42868; col C There is a memorial to him in Wigan Parish Church.[http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Wigan/Wigan/allsaints/memorials.html Church web site]