Robert Seymour Walpole (1820–1910), vicar of St Giles's, Balderton,[2] and Elizabeth, daughter of Reverend Frederick Apthorp, rector of Gumley, Leicestershire.

[4] He was educated at King's Lynn Grammar School,[4] and then Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took a first class degree in theology in 1877.

[2] From 1878 Walpole combined the teaching post with that of curate of St Mary's, Truro,[6] and was successively Priest-Vicar and Succentor of the cathedral.

Benson agreed, and drew up an order of service of nine lessons and carols, which was later taken up by cathedrals and parish churches all round the world.

[2] From 1904 to 1910 he was rector of St Mary-at-Lambeth,[10] London, and was appointed an honorary canon of Southwark Cathedral by Bishop Talbot in 1906.

[11] In May 1910 the clerical and lay electors of the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Edinburgh had reached deadlock in their efforts to agree on a successor to Bishop Dowden who had died in office in January.

After his death the same paper said, "The Bishop was not only beloved in his own Church, but by his charm of personality and his spirituality had won the esteem of many in other communions in Scotland.