Eric Milner-White (1884‒1963), priest and churchman, was educated at Harrow and King’s College, Cambridge (1897‒1907). He secured a double first in history, was an able sportsman with an exotic religious and personal life. Personal tensions led to a crisis in 1905, as a result of which he decided to become a celibate Anglo-Catholic priest.

As dean of King’s, he pioneered the Christmas Eve service of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s later that year, which became known and celebrated throughout the English-speaking world

A talented liturgist and writer of prayers, he was invited to prepare the service order for the National Day of Prayer in late May 1940 for Britain and the Empire, which led to his nomination to become Dean of York in late 1941.

He played a distinctive role within the city, minster, diocese, and wider church. As one of the founders of the civic trust, he led the city’s campaign to secure a university (1947‒60), as well as preservation of the city’s heritage, most notably, if controversially, the minster itself through his own dominance in relation to its unique medieval glass.

As a personality, he divided opinion. He remained shy, secretive, and devious in many situations, but also could act decisively and without consultation. From early in life, he had no lack of self-confidence, because as was later expressed, ‘he knew he was right’. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he destroyed nearly all his personal and family material prior to his death in 1963.