Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gillow, Thomas
GILLOW, THOMAS (1769–1857), catholic divine, fourth son of Richard Gillow of Singleton, Lancashire, by Isabel, sister and heiress of Henry Brewer of Moor House, Newton-cum-Scales, received his education in the English College at Douay. When the professors and students were imprisoned by the French revolutionists, he succeeded in making his escape to England, and continued his studies in the college at Crook Hall, Durham. After being ordained priest in 1797 he was appointed chaplain to the Clavering family at Callaly Castle, Northumberland. In 1817 he was selected by the propaganda to preside as bishop over the vicariate of the West Indies, but he declined the episcopate. In 1821 he left Callaly Castle, to take charge of a new mission at North Shields, where he laboured till his death, on 19 March 1857. He was the author of:
- ‘Catholic Principles of Allegiance illustrated,’ Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1807, 8vo.
- ‘A Letter to the Rev. William Hendry Stowell on the Rule of Faith,’ North Shields, 1830, 8vo.
[Information from Joseph Gillow, esq.; Catholic Miscellany (1830), new ser. iii. 193; funeral oration by J. W. Bewick; Gillow's Bibliographical Dictionary; Brady's Episcopal Succession, vol. iii.]