Lord William Cecil (bishop)
The Right Reverend Lord (Rupert Ernest) William Gascoyne-Cecil (9 March 1863–23 June 1936) (nicknamed ‘Fish’), who was Bishop of Exeter from 1916 to 1936, was something of an eccentric. He would feed crumpets to the rats and throw powdered copper sulphate on the fire in order to turn the flames green. Once, while robing in the vestry before a service, he held a handkerchief between his teeth, but forgot to return it to his pocket and proceeded to the altar with it still hanging from his mouth. He was heard to complain that the Bible was ‘an awkward book’, and would often ring up his wife to ask where he was.
Extract from The Bishops By Trevor Beeson
Family
Rupert Gascoyne-Cecil was the 2nd son of Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury. He married Lady Florence Mary Bootle-Wilbraham, daughter of Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of Lathom on 16 August 1887.
Children:
- Randle William Gascoyne-Cecil (28 November 1889–1 December 1917)
- Victor Alexander Gascoyne-Cecil (21 May 1891–17 January 1977)
- John Arthur Gascoyne-Cecil (28 March 1893–27 August 1918)
- Rupert Edward Gascoyne-Cecil (20 January 1895–11 July 1915)
- Eve Alice Gascoyne-Cecil (13 January 1900– 1994)
- Mary Edith Gascoyne-Cecil (13 January 1900– 1994)
- Anne Gascoyne-Cecil (8 October 1906–23 October 1924)
Of his sons only Randle and Victor gave him grandchildren; of his daughters Eve and Mary.