Launcelot Fleming

[4] He was awarded a Commonwealth Fund Fellowship and used it to study at Yale University from 1929 to 1931:[3] he graduated with a Master of Science (MS) degree in geology.

[1] From 1934-37 he was geologist, chaplain and photographer on the British Graham Land Expedition, and was a member of the sledging party that traversed the newly discovered King George VI Sound.

[6] Fleming pursued an academic career, acting as an examining chaplain to a number of bishops while retaining a base at Trinity Hall, eventually becoming its dean in 1937 and an honorary fellow in 1956.

[10] After the war, he resumed his fellowship at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and was part-time director of the Scott Polar Research Institute from 1946 to 1949.

[4] Having been selected, he was consecrated a bishop on St Luke's day (18 October) at Southwark Cathedral[14] by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Although he became a bishop without parochial experience or any great gift for preaching, his unassuming friendliness and humility won over both clergy and laity.

In 1967, unusually for a bishop, Fleming piloted a bill (subsequently the Antarctic Treaty Act 1967) through the House of Lords.

[21] Well informed on environmental and ecological issues (he was a pre-war glaciologist of repute), he constantly urged responsible stewardship of the world (his maiden speech in the House of Lords was about cruelty to whales), and the need for international co-operation.

[23] In 1976 he was created a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order and awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of East Anglia for his work with young people.