Special Visit Revives Family Connection to Truro Cathedral

We recently welcomed a distinguished guest whose visit brought together past and present in a personal way. Sir Stephen Bubb, Executive Director of the Gradel Institute of Charity at New College, Oxford, attended Evensong during a visit to Cornwall, where he was participating in a series of engagements with local organisations, including the Cornwall Community Foundation and Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum.

Sir Stephen, a leading figure in the UK’s third sector with a long and influential career in charitable leadership, was warmly received at the cathedral by the Interim Dean, Ali Hogger Gadsby, Lay Canon Esmé Page, Fundraising Lead Judith Field, and members of the cathedral’s choral scholars. While the visit reflected his ongoing professional work in the charitable sphere, it also held a unique personal significance.

A connection of nearly 150 years 

Sir Stephen’s visit marked a poignant reconnection with his family’s historic ties to Truro Cathedral. His ancestor, James Bubb, played a crucial role in the cathedral’s construction during the late 19th century. As the first Clerk of Works, Bubb was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day progress of the ambitious building project, including supervising the laying of its foundations almost 150 years ago.

Described as diligent and tireless, Bubb’s work was both demanding and, at times, contentious. Tasked with balancing the expectations of the cathedral building committee with the practical realities of construction, he also faced local opposition during the redevelopment of the site. Historical accounts record that he was even assaulted while managing the clearance of old cottages to make way for the cathedral.

Working long hours—sometimes up to nineteen hours a day—Bubb’s dedication came at great personal cost. His health deteriorated under the strain, and he tragically died of typhoid on 17 May 1882 at just 37 years old. He was widely mourned, with large crowds gathering for his funeral at St Mary’s burial ground. In tribute, a ‘pelican of piety’—representing sacrificial love—was placed on St Mary’s Aisle in his memory.