Lionel Ford

Lionel George Bridges Justice Ford (3 September 1865 – 27 March 1932) was an Anglican priest who served as Dean of York after two headmasterships at notable English independent schools."Who was Who" 1897-1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 {{ISBN|0-7136-3457-X}}

Biography

Ford was born in Paddington, London, the son of William Augustus Ford and Katherine Mary Justice.{{cite DNB12|wstitle=Ford, William Justice|volume=2}} His father had played cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club ("MCC") and his brother Francis Ford played cricket for England. Ford's grandfather was George Samuel Ford, a well known bill discounter.

Ford was educated at Repton School and King's College, Cambridge, where he won the Chancellor's Classical MedalThe Times, Monday, 20 February 1888; p. 10; Issue 32313; col G Winner of The Chancellor’s Classical Medal{{acad|id=FRT884LG|name=Ford, Lionel George Bridges Justice}} and was a member of the Pitt Club.{{cite book |last1=Benson |first1=Edward Frederic |author-link1=E.F. Benson |title=Our Family Affairs, 1867–1896 |url=https://archive.org/details/ourfamilyaffairs0000bens |year=1920 |publisher=Cassell and Company, Ltd. |location=London, New York, Toronto, and Melbourne |page=[https://archive.org/details/ourfamilyaffairs0000bens/page/231 231] }} He became a school master at Eton, and was ordained a curate in the Anglican church in 1893.The Times, Monday, 25 December 1893; p. 9; Issue 34143; col D Ordinations. Canterbury In 1898 and 1899 he played cricket for minor county Buckinghamshire.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/155/155568/155568.html Lionel Ford at Cricket Archive]

Career

Ford became headmaster of Repton School in 1901 and in 1910 moved to Harrow, where he was headmaster until 1925.The Times, Tuesday, 31 May 1910; p. 13; Issue 39286; col E Harrow School. New Headmaster in 1925 he became the dean at York, a post he was to hold until his death on Easter Sunday seven years later.New Dean Of York Dean Bate Appointed to succeed Ford (Official Appointments and Notices) The Times Saturday, 21 May 1932; p. 10; Issue 46139; col D His memorial is in the restored Zouche Chapel.The Times, Saturday, 9 December 1933; p. 14; Issue 46623; col E In Memory Of Dean Ford Zouche Chapel Restored At York

Personal life

Ford married in 1904 Mary Catherine Talbot, daughter of the education campaigner Lavinia Talbot and Edward Stuart Talbot, who was successively Bishop of Rochester, Southwark and Winchester. They had a daughter and six sons including:

Neville Ford (1906–2000), a notable cricketer for Derbyshire, who married Patricia Smiles, daughter of Ulster Unionist MP W. D. Smiles and Margaret Heighway, and great-niece of Mrs Beeton, in 1941
Edward Ford (1910–2006), a courtier in the Royal Household of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II; he married the widow Virginia Brand Polk, daughter of Robert Brand, 1st Baron Brand, in 1949.

Lionel Ford is the great-grandfather of TV personality and chief Scout Bear Grylls.{{cite news|title=HON. MRS. JOHN POLK ENGAGED TO A MAJOR|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1949/09/26/85655122.html?pageNumber=18|access-date=6 August 2016|work=The New York Times|date=26 September 1949}}