AIDS: THE LOST VOICES
Australian-born Reverend Gregory Richards, who began his tenure at a Feltham Parish in December 1976, quickly gained attention from the British press, earning the moniker “globe-trotting vicar” due to his extensive travels and community engagements. However, less than a decade later, the narrative surrounding him shifted dramatically when he became known as the “AIDS Priest” and “AIDS Chaplain.” This change stemmed from his work not just in the parish, but with young offenders at Chelmsford Prison and a gay man now with an AIDS diagnosis.
As HIV/AIDS was labelled the “gay plague,” tabloid journalists flocked to London’s gay clubs in search of scandalous stories involving the vicar. Despite their relentless pursuit, they uncovered no incriminating secrets, yet their sensational coverage incited widespread panic, leading to misconceptions among prisoners who feared they needed AIDS tests and parishioners who worried about contracting the virus from the church chalice.
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RICHARDS, Gregory Norman was born around 1947 in Gwydir, New South Wales, Australia. We were unable to confirm his father but we know his mother was June Richards who became a widow and went on to marry Mr. Alexander Burgess.
In August 1976 Gregory was performing his duties as a Reverend at the St James, King Street Church, Sydney. Month’s later of 10 December 1976 Gregory appears in the Middlesex Chronicle under the headline “Hot under the dog collar” - an article documenting his journey from Australia to the UK. IN his new post at St. Mary’s, Feltham the article states Gregory only intended to stay for two years before moving on to travel Europe.
Middlesex Chronicle 10 Dec 1976
However, Gregory stayed in the UK where he joined the prison service in 1980. On 13th October 1980 in the Daily Telegraph, it was announced under recent ‘Church Appointments’ that the Rev. Gregory Richards had been appointed Chaplin at Camp Hill on the Isle of Wight and and Assistant Chaplain at Wormwood Scrubs, London.
From his arrival in the UK in 1976 up to his death in 1985, he is cited endlessly as officiating hundreds of weddings in his capacity as a vicar.
On being admitted to hospital, his mother June and step-father Alex Burgess made the journey from Australia to be by Gregory’s side where he remained for two weeks in Chelmsford Hospital until he passed away on 31st February 1985.
Probate was granted in June of the same year, citing the Reverend's residence at 10 Sandford Road, a semi-detached property situated adjacent to Chelmsford Prison. It remains uncertain whether the home was provided as part of his clerical role or if he had chosen to establish roots in the area independently. The estate was valued at £49,709, equivalent to approximately £149,638 as of August 2024, reflecting a modest yet significant financial legacy to navigate in the wake of his passing.
Gregory was 37 years old when he passed away, a loss that reverberated through the lives of those who knew him. Despite his short time on this earth, he managed to leave an enduring imprint, reminding others of the fragility of life and the importance of treasuring each moment.
Home: Sandford Road
THT Brochure ‘The Chalice and AIDS’ courtesy of the personal archive of Kevin Kelland
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