Bishop Hannington Memorial Church 1.33

Bishop Hannington Memorial Church is an Anglican church in the West Blatchington area of Hove, in the English city of Brighton and Hove. Built between 1938 and 1939, it commemorates James Hannington, First Bishop of East Equatorial Africa, who was murdered in Uganda in 1885 on the orders of King Mwanga II while engaged in missionary work. It was built to a design by Sir Edward Maufe.HistoryAlthough born at Hurstpierpoint, a few miles north of Brighton and Hove, James Hannington was part of the Brighton family which owned the long-established Hanningtons department store in Brighton. He was ordained into the priesthood in 1874, and served as the curate of St George's Church in Hurstpierpoint until volunteering for missionary work in east Africa in 1882. Although he had to return to Britain in 1883 because of illness, he went back to Uganda in 1884 and was ordained as Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa on 24 June 1884.Along with a group of men, he prepared to enter Uganda by way of a new, more direct route from the northeastern side of Lake Victoria. The group had almost reached their destination when they were intercepted by representatives of King Mwanga II; they were arrested, and all but four men were killed eight days later on 29 October 1885.