Kenyon Wright
- Location: University of Stirling Archives and Special Collections
- Reference Number: SPA/KW
- Date: 1942 - 2017
- Description:
- Level: Sub-Collection
- Administrative History: Kenyon Wright was born in Paisley in 1942. His father was a technician for J & P Coats (textile manufacturers). He went to school at Paisley Grammar and then studied Maths and Philosophy at Glasgow University. Whilst at Glasgow he became involved in students politics and attended protests at Faslane In 1953 he became Chairman of the University Labour Club. Following graduation at Glasgow he went on to study for an MA in Theology at Cambridge University. On finishing at Cambridge he accepted a missionary post and, headed for India with his wife Betty who he married in 1955. Based in the new industrial city of Durgapur, west Bengal, he founded and was director of the Ecumenical, Social and Industrial Institute, a national training centre for urban industrial ministries for the churches of India. During this time he worked with Mother Theresa and among other things ran a leprosy home In 1970 he returned to the UK and became Director of Urban Ministry at Coventry Cathedral and then in 1974 was promoted to Canon Residentiary at the Cathedral and Director of its International Ministry. While at Coventry was Secretary of Europa- Calcutta consortium In 1981 he returned to Scotland as General Secretary of Scottish Council of Churches in Dunblane. In 1989 he became Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Scottish Constitutional Convention. The Scottish Constitutional Convention was established in 1989 after prominent Scottish individuals signed the Claim of Right. The Claim held that it was the Scottish people's right to choose the form of government that best suited them and recommended the establishment of a convention to discuss this. The newly established Convention was an association of Scottish political parties, churches and other civic groups, that then developed a framework for a Scottish devolution. The Convention published its blueprint for devolution, Scotland's Parliament, Scotland's Right, on 30 November 1995, St Andrew's Day. This provided the basis for the structure of the existent Scottish Parliament, established in 1999. In 1990 Kenyon Wright left Dunblane and set up Kairos (Centre for Sustainable Society)- Instrumental in forming the Scottish Environmental Forum- which ran the campaign for Rio Earth Summit. In 1999 he was awarded a CBE for Services to Scottish devolution. He ran for the Liberal Democrats in Banff and Buchan in the 2001 General Election. In 2003 he ran for the Stirling constituency in the 2003 Scottish Elections.
- Contact: University of Stirling Archives
