Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jackson, William (1751-1815)
JACKSON, WILLIAM (1751–1815), bishop of Oxford, born in 1751, was the younger son of Cyril Jackson, physician, of Stamford, Lincolnshire, but latterly of York. He was entered at Manchester grammar school on 12 Jan. 1762, but was removed to Westminster in 1764, when he was elected a king's scholar. On 1 June 1768 he matriculated at Oxford as a student of Christ Church (Foster, Alumni Oxon. 1715–1886, ii. 737), and in 1770 gained the chancellor's prize for Latin verse, the subject being ‘Ars Medendi.’ He graduated B.A. in 1772, M.A. in 1775, B.D. in 1783, and D.D. in 1799. At Christ Church he was for many years actively engaged as tutor, rhetoric reader, and censor. He also became chaplain to Markham, archbishop of York, who appointed him prebendary of Southwell on 23 Sept. 1780 (Le Neve, Fasti, ed. Hardy, iii. 420), prebendary of York on 26 March 1783 (ib. iii. 208), and rector of Beeford in East Yorkshire. On 19 Dec. 1783 he was elected regius professor of Greek at Oxford (ib. iii. 517), and shortly afterwards one of the curators of the Clarendon press. In the same year he was chosen preacher of Lincoln's Inn. On 4 Jan. 1792 he was made prebendary of Bath and Wells (ib. i. 203), and became dean in 1799 (ib. i. 155). He was preferred to a canonry at Christ Church on 2 Aug. 1799 (ib. ii. 522). The prince regent having vainly solicited his old tutor, Jackson's elder brother, Cyril [q. v.], to accept a bishopric, conferred that dignity upon William. Jackson was accordingly consecrated bishop of Oxford on 23 Feb. 1812 (ib. ii. 509), and was subsequently appointed clerk of the closet to the king. He died at Cuddesdon, Oxford, on 2 Dec. 1815 (Gent. Mag. vol. lxxxv. pt. ii. p. 633). In E. H. Barker's ‘Parriana’ (i. 421–4) Jackson is described as very self-indulgent. His portrait, by W. Owen, is in Christ Church Hall. An engraving by S. W. Reynolds is in the old school at Manchester.
Jackson published several sermons.
[Reg. Manchester Grammar School (Chetham Soc.), i. 98–9; Welch's Alumni Westmon. 1852, p. 388; Wood's Antiq. of Oxford (Gutch), vol. ii. pt. ii. pp. 855, 950; Brit. Mus. Cat.]