Life Stories
Terence Sherwood Byron
Terence Sherwood Byron (1947 BA Modern History) died on 20 May 2026 aged 99.
Revd Terence Byron newly ordained in 1952
Terence was born at The Butts, Coventry to Frank and Doris Byron on 10 September 1926. He was a scholarship boy at Bablake School, Coventry, 1937–1944. The school evacuated to Lincoln during the bombing of Coventry. Still being war time when he left school, Terence joined the Royal Navy and served as an Able Seaman (Radar) on HMS Wave in the far east 1944–1947.
Upon his return from national service Terence was offered a place at Keble to read Modern History. After the rigors of wartime, he embraced the return to academic study and university life in Oxford, joining in social and sporting activities, amateur dramatics and becoming a Cox with the Keble Boat Club Torpids.
After Keble Terence went to Bishops Hostel Theological College, Lincoln, Michaelmas 1950 – Trinity 1952. He was ordained Deacon in Leicester Cathedral at Michaelmas 1952 by Bishop Guy Vernon-Smith.
He served at St Mary’s Melton Mowbray as Deacon, then Priest in 1953, before moving to serve at St John the Baptist Whitwick, in charge of St David’s Broom Leys, Coalville.
In January 1960, Terence went to India with USPG as assistant at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption, New Delhi.
In 1965–1968 he was Priest in charge in Churches in Rajasthan, All Saints’ Church Jaipur, and responsible for the congregations in The City of Ajmer and Bharatpur. Also having responsibility for small congregations up and down the railway lines in Bandikui, Gangapur City, Phulera, Mount Abu, Abu Road (Railway colony), Dungapur and Ajmer. In 1968 he came back to Delhi St James’ Church, Old Delhi Kashmere Gate, then in 1970 he was Vicar of the Cathedral Church of the Redemption New Delhi. During this period, he worked closely with The Delhi Brotherhood social projects which he continued to support for the rest of his life.
In 1975 he returned to the UK to the Diocese of Leicester as a pioneer Priest to the new area of Beaumont Leys working ecumenically with a Baptist colleague Rev Ted Hughes. In 1985 he transferred to St Philips, Leicester as Vicar. In 1989 he also became Rural Dean. In 1992 he retired to care for his father and to live in Belgrave Leicester. He had remained a bachelor.
In retirement he revisited Delhi and the Delhi Brotherhood House. He went to Hong Kong staying at the Seaman’s Mission, and to the USA twice – San Diego and Tolland, Connecticut, to see his sister Christine.
Whilst advancing years limited his mobility, his mind was as sharp as ever, honed by daily listening to Radio 4 as he did not have a TV. He was a regular attender at Church up to his final days.
Kindly provided by his friend Jane Westby