Thomas Masters

For the mayor of colonial Philadelphia, see Thomas Masters (mayor).

Reverend Thomas Heywood Masters, CBE (9 April 1865 – 1 September 1939) was an Anglican priest.^[1][2][3]

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Masters was born in 1865,^[4] and educated at Withington High School, at Inverness College, in Hanover and at Christ's College, Cambridge.^[5] Ordained in 1889, his first posts were curacies at St Peter's, Caverswall and St Mark's, Lakenham. He then held incumbencies at All Saints, North Scarle^[6] and from 1901^[7] at All Saints, East Meon.

During the Great War, he was a Red Cross Ambulance driver serving in France before his appointment as a Temporary Chaplain to the Forces. Although 50 and married with 4 children, he was 'accepted for France going out in 13 days time with his teeth attended to'. He could ride and speak French and German.^[8] By the end of the War, although he had served for only three years, he had been promoted to Assistant Chaplain-General and was twice Mentioned in Despatches. He was also appointed a CBE.^[9] When peace returned he became Vicar of St Peter's, Petersfield.^[10] After this he was Rural Dean of Portsmouth then Provost of Portsmouth Cathedral,^[11] also becoming an Honorary Chaplain to the King.^[12]

Masters died on 1 September 1939^[13] and there is a memorial to him at East Meon.^[14]