Frederick Hugh Wright Crabb

Archbishop Frederick Hugh Wright Crabb, the former metropolitan of Rupert’s Land, died on Feb. 24 a the age of 91.

A native of Devon, England, Archbishop Crabb came to Canada in 1957 to become principal of Emmanuel College at the University of Saskatchewan; he later moved his family to Saskatoon. It was during his tenure that Emmanuel’s McLean Hall and St. Chad’s chapel were built and Emmanuel was amalgamated with St. Chad’s College.

In 1967 he moved to Calgary where he served in parish ministry. He became bishop of  Athabasca in 1977, and later, metropolitan (senior bishop) of the ecclesiastical (church) province of Rupert’s Land.

After his retirement in 1983, Archbishop Crabb served as assistant priest at St. Cyprian’s, Calgary, examining chaplain to Morse Lamb Goodman (Calgary), and member of the governing council of Athabasca University.

He was priested in 1940 and in 1942, he was assigned to Akot, Southern Sudan with the Church Missionary Society and there, met his future wife, Margery Coombs, who was also doing missionary work. He served as principal of Bishop Gwynne College in Mundri, Southern Sudan, from 1949 to 1951. In 1951, Archbishop Crabb returned to England, where he became vice principal of the London College of Divinity and later, acting principal.

Archbishop Crabb is survived by his wife, Margery, his children, John, Peter, Alison and Elizabeth; and grandchildren.