Charles Henry DAVIS OSB

Auxiliary Bishop 1848-1854

Born on 18 May 1815, Usk in Monmouth, England.
His father was Michael Davis and his mother was Jane Jones.
He was educated at St Gregory's Downside, and attended Seminary at Benedictine Abbey Downside.
He was ordained on 8 Nov 1840, Downside Abbey. Ordained and incardinated in the Order of St Benedict.

He was elected as Bishop on 24 Sep 1847 as Coadjutor Bishop of Sydney; Titular Bishop of Maitland.
He was consecrated (ordained as Bishop) on 25 Feb 1848 in Bath Wiltshire by Bishop William Bernard Ullathorne (Consecrating Bishop) the Titular Bishop of Hetalonia. He was assisted by Bishop William Placid Morris, the Titular Bishop of Troas, and Bishop William Wareing, the Titular Bishop of Areopolis.
He died on 17 May 1854, in Sydney, and was buried in Subiaco Convent, Parramatta on 20 May 1854; re-interred in Crypt, St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, August 1945.
During his lifetime, he was on the staff of Downside College Bath; had missionary experience in the district surrounding the College; and on the Senate, Sydney University 1852. He was Director, Lyndhurst College, Glebe.

The Previous Archbishops of the Archdiocese of Sydney

• John Polding OSB, Vicar Apostolic of New Holland 1834-1842; Archbishop of Sydney 1842-1877.
• Roger Bede Vaughan OSB, 1877-1883.
• Patrick Francis Cardinal Moran, 1884-1911.
• Michael Kelly, 1911-1940.
• Norman Thomas Cardinal Gilroy, 1940-1971. Co-adjutor Bishop 1937-1940; Archbishop 1940-46; Cardinal 1946-1971.
• James Darcy Cardinal Freeman, 1971-1983. Auxiliary Bishop Sydney 1957-1969. Bishop Armidale 1969-1971.
• Edward Bede Cardinal Clancy AC, 1983-2001.

The Predecessor Auxiliary and Co-adjutor Archbishops
of the Archdiocese of Sydney

1. Charles Henry Davis OSB, 1848-1854. Also Titular Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle.
2. Joseph Higgins, 1889. (Appointed Bishop of Rockhampton 1889).
3. Michael Sheehan, Co-adjutor Archbishop 1922-1937.
4. Eris Norman Michael O'Brien, 1948-1953. (Appointed Bishop of Canberra-Goulburn 1953.)
5. Patrick Francis Lyons, 1950-1956. (Appointed Co-adjutor Bishop Sale 1956. Bishop 1957-1967.)
6. James Patrick Carroll, 1954-1965. Retired 1984. Died 1995.
7. James Darcy Cardinal Freeman, 1957-1969
8. Thomas William Muldoon, 1960-1986.
9. Edward Francis Kelly MSC, 1969-1975. (Appointed Bishop of Toowoomba 1975.)
10. Edward Bede Cardinal Clancy AC, 1973-1978. (Appointed Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn, 1978-1983.)
11. Patrick Laurence Murphy, 1977-1986. (Appointed Bishop of Broken Bay 1986. Retired)
12. Bede Vincent Heather, 1979-1986. (Appointed Bishop of Parramatta 1986. Retired)
13. John Edward Heaps, 1981-1992. Retired 1992. Died 2004.
14. Peter William Ingham, 1993-2001. (Appointed Bishop of Wollongong 2001.)
15. Geoffrey James Robinson, 1984-2004. Retired.
16. David Cremin, 1974-2005. Retired.

See also:

• Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney
• Current Auxiliary Bishops of Sydney
  • Bishop Julian Porteous
  • Bishop Anthony Fisher OP
• Significant Early Pioneers in the Church in Sydney