Background
He was born in 1831 and educated at Abingdon School and Oriel College, Oxford.
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Collinson Sawyer
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Oriel College.
Career
After some years as the Vicar of Tunbridge Wells, he was appointed the inaugural Bishop of Grafton and Armidale on 30 January 1867, consecrated on 2 February 1867 and died by drowning when his boat was upset in the Clarence River on Sunday 15 March 1868. Whilst his status upon consecration was Bishop-Designate for the Diocese of Grafton and Armidale, he was never formally enthroned in his Cathedral-Designate: Street Peter"s Armidale due to his drowning in the Clarence River prior to his formal enthronement. His episcopal status therefore remained forever as a Suffragan Bishop in the Diocese of Newcastle.
The Acting of the NSW Legislative Council 41st Victoria 1877 at page 23 inter alia contains the following:
This Acting passim makes no reference to William Collinson Sawyer as being a Bishop of Grafton and Armidale, clearly indicating that he never legally became Bishop of Grafton and Armidale.
James Francis Turner was formally enthroned in Street Peter"s Armidale on 10 September 1869, legally constituting him as the first Bishop of Grafton and Armidale.
