Edward Maltby | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Durham | |
 | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Durham |
| In office | March 1836 (translated)–1856 (retired) |
| Predecessor | William Van Mildert |
| Successor | Charles Longley |
| Other post(s) | a senator,London University (1826–?) Bishop of Chichester (28 September 1831 {conf.}[1]–1836) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1770-04-06)6 April 1770 |
| Died | 3 July 1859(1859-07-03) (aged 89) Marylebone,Middlesex, England |
| Buried | 11 July 1859,Kensal Green Cemetery |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Residence | 1 Upper Portland Place (at death) |
| Parents | George & Mary née Fearman |
| Spouse | 1. Mary Harvey, 1794 (m.)–1825 (her d.) 2. Margaret Green, 1826 (m.)–1859 (his d.) |
| Children | 4 sons (with Harvey), incl. Fred. W. & Hen. J.[2] |
| Education | Norwich Grammar School;Winchester College |
| Alma mater | Pembroke College, Cambridge |
Ordination history of Edward Maltby | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Source(s):[3][4][5] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Edward Maltby (6 April 1770 – 3 July 1859) was an English clergyman of theChurch of England. He becameBishop of Durham, controversial for his liberal politics, for hisecumenism, and for the great personal wealth that he amassed.
Maltby was born inNorwich. He was the fourth son of George (died 1794), aweaver anddeacon at thePresbyterianOctagon Chapel, and Mary (died 1804), his wife.William Maltby was a cousin. Though presbyterian by persuasion, the family were not hostile to theAnglican Church. Maltby attendedNorwich Grammar School, where he became close to headteacherSamuel Parr but when Parr retired in 1785, he transferred toWinchester College underJoseph Warton.William Enfield also reputedly played a part in his education.[7]
In 1784, Maltby's cousin Elizabeth had marriedGeorge Pretyman and Pretyman sponsored Maltby's entry intoPembroke College, Cambridge in 1789.[7][8] Maltby was a distinguished scholar and, finding hisnonconformist inclinations no barrier, he graduated as eighthwrangler in 1792, receiving hisDD in 1806. In 1794, Maltby had becomedomestic chaplain to Pretyman. Maltby consequently received aLincolnprebend and twovicarages:Buckden, Huntingdonshire andHolbeach, Lincolnshire. On 10 July he married Mary Harvey. The couple were to go on to have four sons. With Pretyman's patronage and a well-received book ofapologetics,[9] Maltby was strongly favoured for eventual elevation to a bishop.[7]
However, Maltby meddled in politics prematurely. His involvement in the1807 general election inHuntingdonshire and an 1809 pamphlet criticising what he saw as thenepotism of prime ministerWilliam Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland saw to it that he found no favour with theTory establishment who were to hold power until 1830. However, Parr interceded withGeorge Canning and Maltby became preacher atGray's Inn in 1817 andLincoln's Inn between 1824 and 1835. Maltby took the opportunity of light clerical duties to tutor private pupils, including:
He also found time to write[12] including publication of a collection of hymns (1815) and a projected, but uncompleted, edition of theNew Testament.[7]
Mary died in 1825 and he married Margaret Green in 1826. Maltby was active in theSociety for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge and he was a senator of the newly formed London University (nowUniversity College London),blessing thefoundation stone of theMain Building in 1827.[7]
When theWhigs returned to power in 1830, prime ministerCharles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey lacked a comfortable majority in theHouse of Lords and saw Maltby as a probable supporter if he could be appointed to theLords Spiritual. Conveniently for Grey,Folliott Cornewall,Bishop of Worcester, died in September 1831. Grey transferredRobert Carr, thenBishop of Chichester, to Worcester and then appointed Maltby to Chichester. Grey made the appointment with such undue haste that Maltby'scongé d'élire arrived in Chichester before Cornewall's funeral and the public was scandalised. However, Grey was satisfied when Maltby was able to vote in favour of theReform Bill.[7]
In 1837, Maltby becameBishop of Durham, the first after the abolition of the office ofPrince-Bishop.[7] In 1847,John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, a close personal friend, canvassed him asArchbishop of York but Maltby felt the role too much for his years.[7]
On his appointment, Maltby was the sole Whig among the Lords Spiritual, save for 87-year-oldHenry Bathurst,Bishop of Norwich, and he attracted much personal hostility and criticism. However, Maltby was driven by his conscience and an over-ridingecumenism and even-handedness in his associations and criticism. His public controversies and scandals included:
Maltby had strong connections to theUniversity of Durham, making generous financial provision. He also assisted in the negotiations of itsroyal charter, persuading the government to honour its undertaking to his predecessor,William Van Mildert, that all students must subscribe to theThirty-Nine Articles before graduation.[7] Van Mildert had arranged for the bishop's residence to be moved toAuckland Castle in 1832 in order for the University to occupy Durham Castle asUniversity College, Durham in 1837; by that time, Maltby had arranged to make the necessary renovations.[15][16]
TheEstablished Church Act 1836 set the maximum annual income for a bishop at £8,000 (£525,000 at 2003 prices[17]) but it was revealed in 1847 that Maltby was earning around £12,000 (£787,000[17]), having exceeded £21,000 (£1.4 million[17]) in 1841. In response to the widespread public criticism, he established the Maltby Fund for building work in the Durham diocese.[7]
He caused further scandal in 1855 when, elderly and almost blind, Maltby made an unprecedented request that he be allowed to retire and suggested an annual pension of £4,500 (£307,000[17]). Prime MinisterWilliam Ewart Gladstone was appalled, denouncing the request assimony, but he eventually conceded, allowing Blomfield, nowBishop of London, to retire at the same time.[7][18]
Maltby died at his London residence and is buried inKensal Green Cemetery in London, sharing a family vault with his eldest brother.[7] A tablet to his memory was erected inDurham Cathedral.
| Church of England titles | ||
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| Preceded by | Bishop of Chichester 1831–1836 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Durham 1836–1856 | Succeeded by |
| Professional and academic associations | ||
| Preceded by | President of theSurtees Society 1837–40 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
