Background
Hussey was born in Northampton and was educated at Marlborough College.
As vicar vicar of Street Matthew
Hussey was born in Northampton and was educated at Marlborough College.
After studying philosophy, politics and economics at Keble College, Oxford, he studied at Ripon College Cuddesdon and was ordained in 1932.
His first ministry was as assistant curate of Street Mary Abbots, Kensington. Within five years he was vicar of Street Matthew"s Northampton, a position he held from 1937 to 1955. As vicar of Street Matthew"s he celebrated the church"s 50th anniversary by commissioning Rejoice in the Lamb from Benjamin Britten.
He later organised a concert by Kirsten Flagstad.
Hussey left Northampton to become Dean of Chichester Cathedral, holding the position until he retired in 1977. Whilst there he commissioned Graham Sutherland to paint an altarpiece, asked Leonard Bernstein to compose the Chichester Psalms and also worked with John Piper, Geoffrey Clarke, Cecil Collins, Ceri Richards, William Walton and Marc Chagall.
A documentary about the life of Walter Hussey, Patron of the Arts, was written and presented by Robert Walker and directed by Christopher Swann. lieutenant was broadcast on BBC2 shortly after his death in 1985.
Hussey"s own collection of art was bequeathed to the City of Chicester and is now housed in Pallant House Gallery.