Born: 8 December 1966, United Kingdom
Died: NA
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: Elizabeth Jane Holden Lane
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
In 2015, Libby Lane was consecrated as the Bishop of Stockport, becoming the first woman appointed by the Church of England as a bishop following the July 2014 decision by the general synod to allow women to become bishops.
Elizabeth Jane Holden Lane was born on December 8, 1966, in Wycombe Rural District, Buckinghamshire, England. She attended Manchester High School for Girls before pursuing theology at St Peter’s College, Oxford, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1989. Her dedication to her faith led her to further studies and eventual ordination at Cranmer Hall, Durham University.
In 2015, Libby Lane achieved a historic milestone when she was consecrated as the Bishop of Stockport at York Minster. This event marked a watershed moment in the Church of England, as she became the first woman to hold the position of bishop after the general synod’s historic decision in July 2014 to allow women to become bishops. Lane’s appointment shattered long-standing barriers and paved the way for greater gender equality within the Church.
In 2019, Libby Lane’s journey continued as she assumed the role of Bishop of Derby in the Church of England, becoming the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Derby. Her impact extended beyond her own achievements, as this appointment made the Diocese of Derby the first in the Church of England to have both a woman diocesan bishop and a woman suffragan bishop. Libby Lane’s legacy is one of breaking boundaries and inspiring positive change within the Church, making her a trailblazer in the world of Anglican bishops.