[3] Ordained a priest by Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford, on 21 February 1869 at St Luke's Maidenhead,[7][8] his first post was as his father's curate at Cholsey (1868–1873), his second was curate-in-charge of Watlington, Oxfordshire (1873–1876),[2] from where he moved to become vicar of Aylesbury[9] (1876–1882).

After some time as the first vicar of Newcastle upon Tyne after the parish church became Newcastle Cathedral (he was also an honorary canon and rural dean),[3] he was appointed to be vicar of North Creake and Archdeacon of Lynn, becoming also the first modern[10] Bishop of Thetford (suffragan to the Bishop of Norwich[11]) in 1894.

He was ordained and consecrated a bishop by Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster Abbey, on St Luke's Day[6] (18 October) 1894.

[12] In 1903 he was translated (he was nominated on 11 May and installed on 4 June) to become the third Bishop of Newcastle and died in post four years later.

[14] On 11 March 2012, Martin Wharton, Bishop of Newcastle, rededicated Lloyd's grave at Benwell, following its restoration after serious neglect.