Percy Dearmer

DEARMER, Percy. b. London, 27 February 1867; d. Westminster, London, 29 May 1936. He was born of French (probably Huguenot) descent, the son of a painter who knew Charles Dickens. He was educated at various schools, including Westminster (1880-81) and the Lutheran school at Vevey in Switzerland, and then at Christ Church, Oxford (BA 1889, MA 1896). In those years he encountered two important influences: high churchmanship at Pusey House, including the friendship of Charles Gore; and work among the poor in the East End of London, where Dearmer worked in the Christ Church Mission, Poplar, during the dock strike of 1889. He became a founder member of the Oxford branch of the newly formed...