Background
Randall was born, into an ecclesiastical family, the eldest son of the Venerable (of an Archdeacon)
Randall was born, into an ecclesiastical family, the eldest son of the Venerable (of an Archdeacon)
Richard Randall was first educated at Winchester College, from there he matriculated on 12 May 1842, aged 18 and studied at Christ Church, Oxford.
James Randall, in Bloomsbury on 13 April 1824. He took his Bachelor of Arts in 1846 and was awarded his Master of Arts in 1849. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from his university in 1892.
Randall was ordained in 1847.
He was a Curate at Street Mary, Binfield, then succeeded Archdeacon Manning (later Cardinal Manning) as Rector of Street Mary Magdalene West Lavington, before becoming the first Vicar of All Saints Clifton, a post he held between 1868 and 1892. While at Clifton he reintroduced the ancient Catholic usages.
In 1892 Randall became Dean of Chichester, holding the post for ten years. He found it difficult fitting in with chapter life and when he resigned the deanery in 1901, he wote to the bishop complaining of the bitter disappointment of these many years.
While dean of Chichester he managed to upset the local citizens.
He objected to what he felt was the elaborate music in the cathedral, however the local citizens felt differently and organised a petition asking him to leave the music alone. Also according to the local newspaper he caused great offence by not standing during Handel"s Hallelujah chorus. He died, in Bournemouth, on 23 December 1906.