OBITUARY

Animal lover priest dies
FR BASIL WRIGHTON, who contributed to the Catholic Herald just last week, has died aged 88.
Born in Wolverhampton in 1900, Fr Wrighton was educated at Cotton College before attending Oscott, the seminary of the Diocese of Birmingham. After attending a course in Classics as St Charles' House, Oxford, and having completed his theological studies at the English College, Rome, Fr Wrighton was ordained.
From 1930-2 Fr Wrighton taught at Cotton College before becoming a curate at Sacred Heart and Holy Souls, Birmingham. From 1935-76 he was parish priest at various country missions in Staffordshire and Oxfordshire, ending his ministry at Goring-on-Thames.
Fr Wrighton is particularly remembered for his activities concerning animal rights. Closely involved with the Catholic Study Circle for Animal Welfare, he wrote many leaflets on the subject which were later collated into a book entitled Reason, Religion and Animals (Catholic Herald August 5). GEORGE WARNER ALLEN, the convert Catholic artist who preferred art in the classical tradition and who had no time for modern art, died on July 31 aged 72.
George Allen converted to Catholicism in 1973 after which he devoted himself completely to religious paintings, a series on the stations of the cross having been recently completed. The last exhibition to be held by him was at the Barbican Art Gallery in 1987, entitled A Paradise Lost. MAJOR GENERAL PAUL GLEADELL, whose distinguished war service saw him landing in Normandy by glider on D Day, has died, aged 78.
Born in Jalapa, Mexico, Paul Gleadell was educated at Downside Abbey School before going to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. Then began a long association with the armed forces beginning with his commissioning into the Devonshire Regiment in 1930 and ending in 1965 as Director of Infantry when National Service was drawing to a close.
After retirement in 1965 the Major General wrote a widely acclaimed report on training in the British Army and became a member of the Deanery Council for the Diocese of Portsmouth under the then Bishop Worlock.