▁child hood ▁but ▁during ▁his ▁time ▁at ▁Oxford ▁he ▁moved ▁from ▁the ▁Low ▁Church ▁to ▁Ang lo - C atholic ism . ▁An ▁alternative ▁version ▁states ▁that ▁he ▁grew ▁up ▁an ▁Ang lo - C atholic , ▁that ▁his ▁religious ▁enthus ias m ▁w an ed ▁at ▁Oxford , ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Church ▁when ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁civil ▁servant . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Civil ▁Service ▁He ▁entered ▁H M ▁Civil ▁Service , ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁In land ▁Re venue ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁and ▁H M ▁Tre as ury ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁returning ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁as ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary ▁in ▁the ▁In land ▁Re venue , ▁and ▁transfer ring ▁back ▁to ▁H M ▁Tre as ury ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁ ▁General ▁Syn od ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁Ger ald ▁Ell ison , ▁then ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Ch ester , ▁suggested ▁that ▁he ▁should ▁apply ▁for ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Associ ate ▁Secretary - General ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Syn od ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England , ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁that , ▁if ▁appointed , ▁he ▁should ▁succeed ▁as ▁Secretary - General ▁on ▁the ▁ret irement ▁of ▁Sir ▁John ▁Scott . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Associ ate ' s ▁position ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁Secretary - General ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁It ▁is ▁said ▁that ▁he ▁enjoyed