A life of faith and service
Norman Cardinal Dutton: family man, craftsman, Scout leader, performer, pastor, bishop, and metropolitan.
Curriculum vitae
Norman Sydney Dutton’s life encompassed family, skilled work, Scouting, theatre, pastoral ministry, episcopal leadership, and an extensive field of chivalric service.
This page presents his principal offices and honours together with a concise biographical account.
Offices, titles, and distinctions
Family and formation
Norman Sydney Dutton was born at Altrincham in the County Palatine of Chester on 25 November 1936, the second son of John Sydney and Lydia Margaret Dutton. On 17 March 1962 he married Dorothy Walker-Catchpole at Hale Methodist Church. Their family grew to include three children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Childhood illness caused him to miss substantial periods of schooling. Encouraged by dedicated teachers at Bradbury Secondary School in Hale, he worked to overcome those early difficulties. He entered employment at fifteen as an apprentice electrical instrument maker with the Record Electrical Company, later becoming a contracts engineer and then a spares and service manager. In later life he qualified as a chiropodist and maintained his own practice until retirement.
Cardinal Dutton joined the Scout Movement at eight and remained active for almost thirty-six years. He served as Cub Scout Leader, Scout Leader, Group Scout Leader, Camp Warden, District Commissioner, and Leader Trainer. His distinctions included the Queen’s Scout Award, Long Service Award, Medal of Merit, and Silver Acorn.
He participated for many years in amateur theatre before becoming a member of British Actors’ Equity and appearing in numerous television productions, principally as a supporting artist.
Ecclesiastical ministry
Norman Dutton was ordained a minister of the Gospel in 1972 and served in non-stipendiary ministry with a local Independent Baptist church while continuing his secular profession. Following a preaching visit to the United States in 1997, he was received into the Anglican Independent Communion and ordained sub conditione.
Bishop Peter A. Compton-Caputo consecrated him to the episcopate at St. Paul’s Church in Annapolis, Maryland, in October 1999. On 1 November 2003 the bishops, priests, and deacons elected him Metropolitan Archbishop of the worldwide communion. He retired from that office in July 2007 following a period of substantial growth.
He subsequently founded the Anglican Episcopal Church International as an ecclesial home for clergy from his former jurisdiction and other Anglican bodies. He wished above all to be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and loyal friend.
