Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Amherst, Francis Kerril
AMHERST, FRANCIS KERRIL (1819–1883), catholic prelate, was the son of Mr. Amherst, of Kenilworth, Warwickshire, and brother of the Rev. William Amherst, S.J. He was born in London 21 March 1819, and educated at St. Mary's College, Oscott, where, after his ordination in 1846, he became a professor. Subsequently he resided for some time in a Dominican monastery at Leicester, and in 1856 he was appointed missionary rector of the church of St. Augustin, at Stafford. He was consecrated bishop of Northampton, in succession to Dr. William Wareing, the first bishop, on 4 July 1858. He was compelled, however, by the painful maladies under which he laboured, to resign his see in 1879, and was preconised to the titular see of Sozusa in 1880. He passed the last years of his suffering life at the home of his family, Fieldgate House, Kenilworth, where he died 21 Aug. 1883. Bishop Amherst published ‘Lenten Thoughts, drawn from the Gospel for each day of Lent,’ London, 1873; 4th edition, 1880.
[Catholic Directory (1883), 184; Men of the Time, 11th ed., 31; Times, 22 Aug. 1883; Tablet, 25 Aug. 1883, pp. 300, 311, 1 Sept. 1883, p. 339, 5 Jan. 1884, p. 27; Cat. of Printed Books in Brit. Museum.]