Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Waterworth, William
WATERWORTH, WILLIAM (1811–1882), jesuit, born at St. Helen's, Lancashire, on 22 June 1811, was educated at Stonyhurst College, where he was admitted to the Society of Jesus on 26 March 1829. In 1833 he was appointed master of the grammar school opened by the society in London. After studying part of his theology at Stonyhurst seminary, he was ordained priest there in 1836; and he completed his theology at the Collegio Romano in Rome, where he passed his examen ad gradum. From December 1838 till 5 Jan. 1841 he was professor of dogmatic theology at Stonyhurst seminary. He was professed of the four vows on 2 July 1850.
Subsequently he was stationed as priest at Hereford till 1854, when he became rector of the church in Farm Street, London. Three years later he was sent to the mission at Worcester, where he was declared rector of the ‘College of St. George,’ and where he remained till 1878. He was appointed spiritual father of the ‘College of St. Ignatius,’ London, in September 1879, and in November 1880 he was appointed superior of the mission at Bournemouth, where he died on 17 March 1882. He was buried at Stapehill, near Wimborne, Dorset.
His chief works are:
- ‘The Jesuits; or an Examination of the Origin, Progress, Principles, and Practices of the Society of Jesus,’ London. 1852, 12mo. Part i. of a ‘Review’ of this work by Outis [i.e. the Rev. James Charles Ward] was published in London in 1852.
- ‘England and Rome; or, the History of the Religious Connexion between England and the Holy See, from the Year 179 to the Commencement of the Anglican Reformation in 1534,’ London, 1854, 12mo.
- ‘Origin and Developments of Anglicanism; or a History of the Liturgies, Homilies, Articles, Bibles, Principles, and Governmental System of the Church of England,’ London, 1854, 12mo.
- ‘On the Gradual Absorption of Early Anglicanism by the Popedom,’ London, 1854, 8vo, being a review of the ‘History of the Christian Church, Middle Age,’ by Charles Hardwick (1821–1859) [q. v.], archdeacon of Ely.
- ‘The Church of St. Patrick; or a History of the Origin, Doctrines, Liturgy, and Governmental System of the Ancient Church of Ireland,’ London, 1869, 8vo.
- ‘Queen Elizabeth v. the Lord Chancellor; or a History of the Prayer Book of the Church of England. In relation to the Purchas Judgment,’ London, 1871, 8vo.
[Foley's Records, vii. 821; Tablet, 25 March 1882, p. 471.]