Judith Karen French (called Judy; born 18 November 1960) is a British retired Anglican priest.
[1][2] She spent her childhood living in England, Kenya and the Middle East, as the family moved during her father's career as a telecom engineer.
[3] After finishing school, French moved to Portsmouth where she began working as an accounts clerk at an insurance firm.
[3] After completing a history A-Level at night school, French became the first member of her family to attend university when she took up a place to study theology at St David's College, Lampeter in Wales.
[2] She was selected for ordination in the Church of England, and matriculated into St Stephen's House, Oxford, an Anglo-Catholic theological college, in 1989.
[2][3] As then Bishop of Portsmouth, Timothy Bavin, was conflicted about women priests, she would have to move dioceses to join the priesthood.
[3] In 1997, French was appointed Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Charlbury in the Diocese of Oxford;[2] this made her the first female incumbent in the Dorchester Episcopal Area.