George Brown (bishop of Liverpool)

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George Hilary Brown (1784 – 1856) was an English prelate who served as the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Liverpool from 1850 to 1856.


George Hilary Brown
Bishop of Liverpool
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
DioceseDiocese of Liverpool
Appointed29 September 1850
Term ended25 January 1856
SuccessorAlexander Goss
Orders
Ordination13 June 1810 (priest)
by William Gibson
Consecration24 August 1840 (bishop)
by John Briggs
Personal details
Born15 January 1784
Died25 September 1856 (aged 72)
Liverpool, England
BuriedSt Oswald's Church, Old Swan, Liverpool
NationalityEnglish
DenominationRoman Catholic
ParentsWilliam Brown and Helen Brown (née Gradwell)
Previous post(s)Vicar Apostolic of the Lancashire District

Early life edit

George Hilary Brown was born in Clifton, Lancashire on 15 January 1784,[1] the son of William Brown and Helen Brown (née Gradwell). His first cousin was Robert Gradwell, Vicar Apostolic of the London District. George entered St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw on 25 September 1799, and received the Tonsure, the four Minor Orders, and the sub-diaconate, at Ushaw, on 2 April 1808, from Bishop William Gibson, Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District. By the same bishop, he was ordained, at Ushaw, a deacon on 14 December 1809 and a priest on 13 June 1810.[2] He left Ushaw College on 8 April 1819, and took charge of the mission at Lancaster until he was nominated to the Lancashire Vicariate.[3]

Episcopal career edit

He was appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Lancashire District and Titular Bishop of Bugia on 5 June 1840, and consecrated to the Episcopate at Vauxhall, Liverpool on 24 August 1840.[4] The principal consecrator was Bishop John Briggs, and the principal co-consecrators were Bishop Thomas Griffiths and Bishop Thomas Walsh.[3] His titular see was translated from Bugia to Tlos on 22 April 1842.[5]

On 29 September 1850, the hierarchy was restored in England and Wales by Pope Pius IX. On that same day, the Lancashire Vicariate was replaced by the dioceses of Liverpool[6] and Salford.[7] George Hilary Brown was appointed the first Bishop of Liverpool,[8] and Apostolic Administrator of Salford.

He died at Litherland near Liverpool on 25 January 1856, aged 72, and was buried at St Oswald's Church, Old Swan, Liverpool.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ "Bishop George Hilary Brown". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
  2. ^ a b Larsen, Chris. Catholic Bishops of Great Britain, Sacristy Press, 2016, p. 120ISBN 9781910519257
  3. ^ a b Brady 1876, p. 417
  4. ^ Brady 1876, pp. 338, 416–417.
  5. ^ Brady 1876, pp. 339 and 417.
  6. ^ "Archdiocese of Liverpool". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
  7. ^ "Diocese of Salford". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
  8. ^ Brady 1876, pp. 416–417.

Bibliography edit

Catholic Church titles
New title Vicar Apostolic of the Lancashire District
1840–1850
Last appointment
New title Bishop of Liverpool
1850–1856
Succeeded by