Francis Oag HULME-MOIR

HULME-MOIR, FRANCIS OAG (b. Balmain NSW, 10 Jan. 1910; d. Sydney, NSW, 10 March 1979). Anglican clergyman and bp in Sydney and Nelson, New Zealand.

Hulme-Moir grew up through boyhood in the turmoil of home problems and reached manhood at the height of the depression. He joined the NSW police force and also secured a commission as a lieutenant in the CMF. He was tall, strong, rollicking, boisterous; born to lead for good or ill. His conversion through the preaching of H S Begbie (q.v.) changed the whole trend of his life and he enrolled at Moore College in 1934. He was made deacon by Abp Mowll in 1936, priest in 1937. A brief curacy at Summer Hill was followed by his appointment as general secretary of CMS in NSW. On the outbreak of war, he was released for service as an army chaplain and sailed for the Middle East with 2nd AIF. His big voice and hearty laughter helped to make him the best known and most widely liked of all chaplains during the war. He served in the Middle East and in the Pacific, and ended the war as assistant chaplain general.

On his discharge from the army, he became rector of St Clement's, Mosman (1946-1952), then of St Andrew's, Summer Hill (1952-1954). He was appointed an archdeacon in 1947, and was elected as bp of Nelson, New Zealand in 1954. He raised funds for the completion of the cathedral, strengthened the ranks of the clergy and was looked up to throughout New Zealand as the bishop who stood for all evangelicals. Then in 1965 he returned to Sydney as dean of St Andrew's Cathedral. He relinquished this appointment in 1966 to become senior assistant bishop in the diocese. He continued to exercise a wide ministry beyond normal channels. He had become bp to the Australian Military Forces in 1965 and succeeded Archdeacon A E S Begbie as chaplain general in 1974. When he retired from his diocesan work in July 1975, he was appointed by the NSW government to the Parole Board and he continued to serve as chaplain general. He was appointed OBE in 1976.

Frank Hulme-Moir had married Dorothy Smee in 1937, they had two sons and a daughter. Dorothy Hulme-Moir was an ardent member of the Mother's Union and a frequent speaker at women's meetings. Their elder son, Ian, served as a missionary doctor at Moshi in Central Tanganyika. Bp Hulme-Moir always had a strong appeal for men, he took a keen personal interest in all kinds of people and their problems, never sparing time or trouble to help. He was a born story-teller with an endless fund of stories. He brought shrewd judgement and sound common sense to bear on every question and never shirked an awkward situation. He was magnanimous, with a strong out-going spirit and an infectious enthusiasm. The grace of God was the driving force in his life from the day of his conversion until his death.

M Loane, Mark These Men

MARCUS LOANE