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Canon Kenneth "Ken" Harris (Chester) 1928-2018 (F.L.
Linesman)
DIR By: John Treleven
Date: April 10, 2023, 4:23 pm
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Church Times 20th July 2018
Obituary: Canon Kenneth Harris
Canon Kenneth Harris, who died on 22nd June, aged 89, had given
a lifetime of service to Chester and its surrounding villages.
This was recognised by the city’s awarding him The Order of the
Gates in July 2003.
Kenneth was born, a twin, to Cyril Charles Harris and Josephine
Harris (nee Watton) on 18 July 1928. The boys, sadly, contracted
pneumonia when they were about six months old, and the elder
twin, Dennis, died. Kenneth had an elder brother, Cyril (1926),
and was later joined by Brian, in 1933, and Margaret, in 1939.
The illness continued to trouble Kenneth well into his teenage
years. His schooling at both Victoria Road and Love Street
Schools was frequently interrupted by bouts of serious illness.
His apprenticeship at the Chester company of Brookhurst
Switchgear had to be abandoned, and his doctor declared that he
must seek employment in less confined conditions.
In 1944, however, he began a second apprenticeship at the
Hydraulic Engineering Company (H. E. Co.), where his father was
the chief draughtsman and where his grandfather, Charles Alfred
Harris, had begun the family’s connection with the company, and
the City of Chester, on taking up an appointment as Outside
Erector at H. E. Co. in 1901. Kenneth settled well into work at
H. E. Co. and, apart from a brief spell at John Summers’ Steel
Works, spent 40 years of his working life there, ending that
career as the managing director of the company.
Kenneth’s connection with the Church began at a very early age
at All Saints Hoole, Chester, where his father served for many
years as a churchwarden and, later, a Reader. Two particular
organisations claimed Kenneth’s devoted interest. The first was
the children’s church, where week by week as many as 80 young
people met to praise God with a simplified form of matins. When
the leader left and no adult was willing to take on the
responsibility, teenage Kenneth was put in charge; the group
continued to flourish and was still meeting some 15 years later.
The second was the 2nd Chester Boys Brigade; Kenneth was
associated with this for some 34 years, the final 14 as Captain.
Many men in Hoole today remember the influence that this company
had on their lives and the great fulfilment it brought them;
they have very fond memories of the annual camp.
Leadership of the Boys Brigade brought involvement with the
Chester Youth Council and a wider sphere of youth work. In 1972,
Kenneth was appointed a Justice of the Peace; for many years he
served on the Juvenile Panel, and was for a time its chairman.
From early adulthood, Kenneth received a call to the ordained
ministry. His lack of formal education, mainly the result of
enforced absence from school owing to illness, was regarded as a
severe drawback; he received much discouragement. When the North
West Ordination Course of Training for the self supporting
ministry was introduced, the Bishop of Chester, Gerald Ellison,
recognised Kenneth’s deep spirituality, practical abilities, and
leadership qualities and had no hesitation in recommending him
for training.
Kenneth was ordained deacon at Michaelmas 1972 and priest the
following year. As an NSM, he served curacies at the Holy
Ascension, Upton, and at Eccleston and Pulford, where he was
given special responsibility for Pulford. He derived great
fulfilment from these appointments and his ministry was much
appreciated.
In 1980, Bishop Victor Whitsey asked Kenneth to go to the parish
of Hargrave as Priest in Charge, and to live in the very
run-down vicarage. After discussion, he and his wife, Jean,
agreed to go. They set about not only renovating the house, but
also reviving the parish. Very soon, Kenneth had a sizeable
congregation and an active parish with a lively social side.
Bishop Whitsey appointed Kenneth as Vicar the following year,
though, of course, he was still in the self supporting ministry.
In 1984, Bishop Michael Baughen asked Kenneth whether he might
be interested in the post of Executive Officer of the Diocesan
Board of Social Responsibility, a full time paid post. At that
very time, the owners of H. E. Co. were in the process of
selling the company. Although Kenneth’s position there was
secure, he knew that changes were imminent; so, after
discussions with Jean, he decided to accept the post, should it
be offered. Kenneth held this position for some ten years, while
remaining Vicar of Hargrave. This service to the diocese was
recognised by Kenneth’s appointment to an honorary canonry of
Chester Cathedral in 1991.
When Kenneth retired from full-time ministry in 1994, he
continued to officiate with the Bishop’s permission, but it was
not long before he was asked to take on further responsibility.
From 1996 to 1998 he cared for the parish of Ashton Hayes and,
from 1998 to 1999, for Alvanley, giving them the same dedication
as he had shown in all his appointments. His commitment never
faltered.
This outline of Kenneth’s working life reveals a man of great
energy and capacity for hard work, but there is more. Kenneth
was always a keen sportsman.
He was goalkeeper for the school team at Love Street and, for
many years, kept wicket for the Boys Brigade cricket team. Later
on, he took to refereeing football matches and his skill and
fairness is still recognised by the ageing players whom he
controlled in the local league. He did not stop at the local
level, however, but went on to qualify as a football league
linesman; he had a highly successful career there, too, not only
in this country, but also running matches in Europe. He might
well have become a football league referee, but he had begun too
late: by the time he was considered, he had almost reached that
profession’s retirement age.
Kenneth was a dedicated family man. He and Jean were a loving
couple and their family testifies to their devotion. Jean worked
actively wherever Kenneth served, and she took a full share in
parish life.
Kenneth will be very much missed by his large family; his
children, Dennis, Anne, and Jacqueline, with their spouses, and
his many grandchildren. They will all miss the towering presence
of this loving and inspiring patriarch.
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