The Very Reverend Derek N Hole. Hon Dlitt. Hon LLD, Provost Emeritus of Leicester

Born in Plymouth, Devon, 5 December 1933, and educated at Public Central School, Plymouth . From 1952-54 he served in the Royal Air Force and from 1957-60 attended Lincoln Theological College. In 1960 he was ordained deacon of Leicester Cathedral and ordained priest there in 1961. In 1960-62 he was appointed Assistant Curate of St Mary Magdalene, Knighton, Leicester. From 1962-64 he moved to Cape Town as Domestic Chaplain to the Archbishop. He returned in 1964 to become Assistant Curate at St Nicholas, Kenilworth, Warwickshire. In 1967 he was appointed Rector of St Mary the Virgin, Burton Latimer where he remained until 1973. From 1973-92 he was Vicar of St James the Greater, Leicester and during this time played a leading role in the life of the city. From 1985-992 he served as Chaplain to The Queen, a post that he relinquished on his appointment as Provost of Leicester Cathedral. He remained at the Cathedral until his retirement in 1999 when he was appointed Provost Emeritus of Leicester Cathedral. Again during this period he continued to play an active role in city, country and world affairs. In 1999 the title, Honorary D Litt was conferred by De Montfort University, Leicester, and in 2005 he received an Honorary LLD conferred by the University of Leicester. He died in August 2021.

(Click here to read The Very Revd Derek Hole's reflections on his ministry at Burton Latimer)