Samuel Thornton (bishop)

Samuel Thornton was an Anglican bishop in the late quarter of the 19th century and the start of the 20th.^[1]

He was born in London^[2] on 16 April 1835^[3] and educated at Merchant Taylors' School and Queen’s College, Oxford. He was ordained in 1859^[4] and after a spell at the London Diocesan Home Mission became Vicar of St Jude’s, Whitechapel. From 1864 to 1875 he was Rector of St George’s, Birmingham. In 1875^[5] he was appointed Bishop of Ballarat,^[6] a post he held until 1900.^[7] On his return to England he became Vicar of Blackburn^[8] and an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Manchester. He became a notable proponent of British Israelism. He died on 25 November 1917.^[9]

Notes

1. Ballarat time-line
2. “Who was Who” 1897-1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 ISBN 0-7136-3457-X
3. ADB on-line
4. ”The Clergy List, Clerical Guide and Ecclesiastical Directory" London, Hamilton & Co 1889”
5. A brief history of Anglican (Church of England) Church in Ararat
6. The Times, Friday, May 14, 1875; pg. 4; Issue 28315; col E "Ecclesiastical News"
7. The Times, Friday, Jan 05, 1900; pg. 9; Issue 36031; col F "Ecclesiastical Intelligence"
8. Australian Newspapers
9. The Times, Monday, Nov 26, 1917; pg. 13; Issue 41645; col A "Deaths"