The Right Reverend Alfred Charles Willis

Born at Braceborough 3 Feb 1836 and baptised there 13 March 1836, son of the second Dr. Francis Willis, and died at Milford Vicarage in Hampshire on 14 November 1920 shortly after attending the Lambeth Conference. Educated at Uppingham School August 1849 - October 1854, and St. John's College, Oxford (B.A. 1858; M.A. 1864; D.D. 8 Feb 1872), and Wells Theological College. Ordained deacon in 1859 and priest in 1860 by the Bishop of Rochester. Curate of Strood in Kent, 1859-1862; perpetual curate of St Mark, New Brompton, Kent 1863-1872; Bishop of Honolulu 2 February 1872-1902; missionary bishop in Tonga 1902-1920.

Rev. Alfred Willis was on Friday consecrated Bishop of Honolulu, in the private chapel of Lambeth Palace. The Archbishop of Canterbury officiated. Western Times, Tuesday 06 February 1872

...last of all the nearly 90 year old (?) Willis of Tonga who though he sits in the place vacated for him by Premier Bishop Plunket of Meath immediately below the Presidentail Chair yet never heard a word or barely a word the whole five weeks. Lambeth Conference Diary 5 July - 7 August 1920 by George K. A. Bell, Bell papers vol 251, fos. 75v-86r.

DEATH OF BISHOP WILLIS. SEIZED WITH FATAL ILLNESS ON JOURNEY. News has been received at Stamford of the death the Right Rev Alfred Willis, for 30 years Bishop of Honolulu and Assistant Bishop for Tonga since 1902, who was in his 86th year. He was a son of the late Dr. Francis Willis, of Braceborough, near Stamford. His [sic] visited his birthplace some weeks ago, and was on his way back to Tonga when seized with fatal illness. Lincolnshire Echo, 30 November 1920

Married on 4 September 1883 to Emma Mary Simeon. She was born in October 1856 and baptised at Ampfield, Hants on 27 November 1856, daughter of Charles and Sarah Jane Simeon. She died 7 February 1933 at the Briarwood Nursing Home, Worcester Park, Surrey.

On the 4th inst., at St. Augustine's, Queens-gate, London, the Right Rev. Alfred Willis. D.D., Bishop of Honolulu, to Emma Mary, youngest daughter of the late Captain Simeon, and granddaughter of the late Sir Richard G. Simeon, Bart., of Swainston, Isle of Wight. Hampshire Advertiser, Saturday 08 September 1883

Willis was not a success as Bishop of Hawaii. He was an Anglo-Catholic (and a member of the Society of the Holy Cross) who believed strongly in the divine right of royalty and in England, in a country in which American businessmen overthrew the queen in 1893, and which, in 1898, was annexed by the United States. He was judged "tactless and autocratic" by many of his own flock, and some asked that another congregation be formed. Eventually he allowed this, and this second congregation became the preferred choice of many people. When he went to the Lambeth conference of 1897, another group opened a breakaway parish, which he refused to recognise.

Honolulu September 17, 1890 - My Lord, We, the undersigned members of the Second English-speaking Congregation of St. Andrew's Cathedral, Honolulu, feel it to be our duty to express our entire accord with a large number of our brethren of your Lordship's Cathedral Congregation in the wish that you may see the desirability of resigning the superintendence of the Anglican Mission in Hawaii. We do so in the firm belief that whilst your Lordship is in charge of this diocese, peace and harmonious work cannot exist therein, and the well-being and hoped-for extension of our church in this country is impossible. A Correspondence from Members of the English-speaking Congregation of St. Andrew's Cathedral, Honolulu

During the entire administration of the present Bishop of Hawaii there has been a conflict between the Bishops on one hand and the priests and laity on the other. The Bishop is an autocrat in ecclesiastical matters, stubborn to the last degree and exceedingly opinionated. The Bishop is independent of the laity as far as salary is concerned and has managed to acquire title to all the property of the diocese. The people have nothing whatever to say and only a small element ever attend church. Bishop Willis has incurred the hostility of the wealthy American element by persistent opposition to annexation. San Francisco Call, Volume 87, Number 107, 17 March 1901, p27

His diocese was supported for many years by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, but when they stopped funding it following the American takeover, the Episcopalian Church of the US took over. Willis resigned, and took himself off to Tonga; he had been impressed, while visiting there in 1897, with their belief in a monarchy. See Footsteps in the Sea: Christianity in Oceania to World War II By John Garrett for further details. Several of his writings are available on anglicanhistory.org. In Honolulu, he set up a boys school where the young Sun Yat-sen was educated. In later years, he was at pains to stress that he had not picked up his revolutionary leanings there.