Gilbert Bohun

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The Revd Gilbert Joscelyn Humphrey John Bohun SSC CBS CMP ACS, born 12 June 1965, is an English priest of the Church of England. He is a curate in the Combined Benefice of The Woolfonts, Somerfords, & Harstbournes (The Woolfonts (Woolfont Magna, Woolfont Crucis with Woolfont Parva, & Woolfont Abbas with Wolfdown) with The Somerfords (Somerford Mally with Somerford Canons alias Canonicorum, Somerford Tout Saints with Lamsford, Cliff Ambries with Shifford Ombres and Combe Woddley als Waddlycombe) and Harstbournes (Chalford Mallet with Hawksbourne, Harstbourne Fitzwarren with Harstbourne Sallis and Harstbourne Fratrum als Friars), in Wiltshire; with particular responsibility for the Downlands parishes.

Prior to his taking Orders, he served in HM Forces, having been commissioned into the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons). He saw active service in Ops TELIC and HERRICK, was awarded the Military Cross and Mentioned in Despatches, and thereafter resigned his commission as a Major in order to train for the priesthood.

He is also a baronet, the thirteenth of Sutton Bohun, such that his full style, which he does not use, is the Revd Sir Gilbert Bohun Bt MC MiD SSC CBS CMP ACS, late Major, the Blues and Royals.

Life
Fr Bohun was born the second son, having two brothers and two sisters, to Colonel Sir Humphrey Bohun Bt DSO and Lady Bohun, the former Eleanor Gorges, daughter of Sir Ralph Gorges and the Hon. Lady Gorges (Helen, daughter of Hugh, Baron Heavitree, and his baroness Margaret, n é   e Talbot-Beauchamp). His elder brother, William Humphrey Henry Ralph, was killed in action as a subaltern of B Sqn the Blues and Royals, in the Falklands, upon which Gilbert Bohun became heir apparent to the baronetcy. Having taken First Class Honours in Geography at Jesus (Oxon), he proceeded to RMA Sandhurst, from whence he was commissioned into the family regiment, gaining, inevitably, the mess bye-name of ‘Gibbon’ from Gib or Gilbert Bohun.

He subsequently took Orders in the Church of England, after service in Iraq, studying at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, and afterward taking his MA in Liturgy at Mirfield, in association with the University of Sheffield.

Family
A widower and childless, Fr Bohun’s heir apparent in the baronetcy is his younger brother Thomas Ferdinando William Francis Bohun.

Career
Gilbert Bohun was ordained deacon and admitted thereafter to priest’s orders by the Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, as one of that bishops’ last ordinations prior to retirement from that See, and served his title at S Alban S Alban Hoo. He subsequently took duty with the Additional Curates Society, serving the poor in a port chaplaincy at Tilbury Docks and a temporary curacy at the Resurrection Streets Mission, Limehouse; and then as the non-stipendiary priest in charge at S Alban S Alban Hoo, as the non-stipendiary chaplain of the Catacombs Mission to the London Underground, and as the non-stipendiary priest in charge at S Grimbold Thamesmead.

His wife Margery was one of those murdered in the 7 July 2005 London bombings. Subsequent to his wife’s death, Fr Bohun made his annual vows in the Company of Mission Priests, being able to live more sparingly yet. Prior to his accepting the curacy in the Downlands parishes of the Combined Benefice, he served rural parishes as the non-stipendiary priest in charge in Lincolnshire, at S John Baptist Thriddleby with S Helen Natterthorpe S Helen; and in the West Riding, at S Michael & All Angels Thorpe Gangbeck with Kirkby Gangbeckdale, Gansgill Sike & Crackby-le-Moor.

The Dean of Wolfdown, the Very Revd Dr Simon Blanchard, urging the poverty and long neglect of the Downlands parishes prior to their being joined to the Woolfonts Combined Benefice, secured Fr Bohun’s services as a temporary curate during Canon Paddick’s recovery from illness; and after serving a previously agreed term as a non-stipendiary priest in charge elsewhere, Fr Bohun accepted the post in the Combined Benefice as a permanent posting. He has a special responsibility, jointly with his fellow curate The Revd Prof. Henry Gascelyn Levett, for the Downlands parishes: All Saints & S Mary Somerford Tout Saints; S Thomas of Canterbury & S George Somerford Mally; S John ante Portam Latinam Cliff Ambries; S Peter ad Vincula Chalford Mallet; and S Saviour Harstbourne Fitzwarren.

He is a priest-associate of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, as well as a member of the Society of the Holy Cross.

Publications
Fr Bohun is a published theologian and liturgist.

Select Bibliography

God of Battles: Just War Theory in Anglican Tradition 

The Mass in the Field: a liturgical guide for military chaplains

Marriage
Gilbert Bohun married, as a captain, Margery Brabazon-Jardine, who was killed in the London bombings of 7 July 2005. They had no children.

Titles and styles from birth
Gilbert Joscelyn Humphrey John Bohun Esq. (1965 – 1987)

Cornet Gilbert JHJ Bohun (1987 – 1989)

Lt Gilbert JHJ Bohun (1989 – 1994)

Cpt Gilbert JHJ Bohun (1994 – 1995)

Cpt Sir Gilbert Bohun Bt (1995 – 2000)

Maj Sir Gilbert Bohun Bt MC MiD (2000 – 2004)

Sir Gilbert Bohun Bt MC MiD (2004 – 2005)

The Revd (Sir) Gilbert Bohun (2005 – 2011)

The Revd (Sir) Gilbert Bohun MA Liturgy (Sheff) (2011 – )