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William Foxley Norris

The Very Reverend William Foxley Norris KCVO
Dean of Westminster
Church	Church of England
In office	1925–1937
Predecessor	Herbert Edward Ryle
Successor	Paul de Labilliere
Other post(s)	Dean of York (1917–1925)
Personal details
Born	(1859-02-04)4 February 1859
Died	28 September 1937(1937-09-28) (aged 78)
Nationality	English
Denomination	Anglicanism
Alma mater	Trinity College, Oxford

William Foxley Norris KCVO (4 February 1859 – 28 September 1937) was Dean of York between 1917 and 1925 and of Westminster from then until his death in 1937.

Born into a clerical family,^[1] he was educated at Charterhouse and Trinity College, Oxford,^[2] before taking holy ordersatLeeds Clergy School. After curaciesinEton and Chatham he embarked on a career that was to take him from pastoral (Incumbencies in Oxfordshire and Yorkshire^[3]) to administrative (Diocesan Educational Inspector^[4]) posts before a steady rise up the ecclesiastical ladder. He was successively Rural DeanofSilkstone, RectorofBarnsley, and ArchdeaconofHalifax. In July 1902 he was appointed an honorary CanonofWakefield Cathedral.^[5]

He became Dean of York in 1917,^[6] serving as such until 1925 when he was appointed Dean of Westminster.^[7] An exceptionally talented artist^[8] he wrote widely on church treasures.^[9] A much respected cleric,^[10] he died on 28 September 1937 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.^[11]

His grandson was Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris the Battle of Britain pilot who went on to have a distinguished air force career.

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