Dr. Crispin Pailing

Crispin grew up in London and read Greats at Oxford before a further degree in Theology at Oxford and a PhD from the University of Birmingham. He was ordained as an Anglican priest and spent some years in parish ministry in Birmingham before moving to Liverpool in 2014.

Crispin was Rector of Liverpool for ten years, working closely with the civic, military, and charity sectors in the City. He now leads an organization in Wavertree for young adults with complex needs, and has continued his involvement with a wide range of other charitable activities. He has been on the Board of Local Solutions for many years, and is Chair of Quest, a Multi-Academy Trust of primary and secondary schools. He is also a trustee of Early Music for Education, which promotes social benefit for young people through the principles of ensemble performance.

Alongside this, Crispin established the Liverpool Faith Leaders’ Group in 2018 and he continues to hold a key role in coordinating interfaith relations in the region. He has published books on the history of Liverpool, particularly addressing the legacy of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans.

Crispin is married with two adult sons. He was awarded an MBE in 2024 and in the same year was elected a Citizen of Honour of the City of Liverpool.