William Jacobson | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Chester | |
 William Jacobson, photograph byLewis Carroll, 1857. | |
| Church | Church of England |
| Diocese | Diocese of Chester |
| In office | 1865–1884 |
| Predecessor | John Graham |
| Successor | William Stubbs |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1803-07-18)18 July 1803 |
| Died | 13 July 1884(1884-07-13) (aged 80) Deeside |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Alma mater | Homerton College, London University of Glasgow St Edmund Hall, Oxford Lincoln College, Oxford |
William Jacobson (18 July 1803 – 13 July 1884) wasRegius Professor of Divinity at Oxford University (1848–1865) andBishop of Chester (1865–1884).
The son of William Jacobson, a merchant's clerk, ofGreat Yarmouth, Norfolk, by his wife Judith, born Clarke, was born on 18 July 1803. His father died shortly after his birth, and his mother's second husband was a nonconformist. He was sent when about nine to a school at Norwich kept by Mr. Brewer, a baptist, the father ofJohn Sherren Brewer. He went on toHomerton College, London, and in 1822–3 was a student atGlasgow University. On 3 May 1823, he was admitted commoner ofSt Edmund Hall, Oxford, being, it is said, befriended byDawson Turner of Yarmouth, a member of theSociety of Friends. He had little money. In May 1825, he was elected scholar ofLincoln College (B.A. in 1827), taking a second class inliteræ humaniores.[2]
Failing to win a fellowship atExeter College, Jacobson was a private tutor in Ireland until 1829. He then returned to Oxford, obtained the Ellerton theological prize, was elected fellow at Exeter on 30 June, and proceeded M.A. On 6 June 1830, he was ordained deacon, was appointed to the curacy ofSt Mary Magdalen, Oxford, and was ordained priest the following year. In 1832, he was appointed vice-principal ofMagdalen Hall, where he did much to encourage industry and enforce discipline. With a view to preparing an edition of thePatres Apostolici, he went at this period to Florence, Rome, and elsewhere to consult manuscripts. In 1836 he was offered a mastership atHarrow School byCharles Longley, the head-master, afterwards archbishop of York; but Longley was that year madeBishop of Ripon, nothing came of it. He offered himself as Longley's successor at Harrow, but was not appointed.[2]
In 1839, Jacobson became perpetual curate ofIffley, near Oxford, was made public orator of the university in 1842, and was chosen select preacher in 1833, 1842, and 1863, but did not serve on the last occasion. By the advice ofLord John Russell, then prime minister, Jacobson was in 1848 promoted to the regius professorship of divinity at Oxford, which carried with it a canonry ofChrist Church, Oxford and at that time also the rectory ofEwelme, Oxfordshire. In politics, he was a liberal, and he was chairman ofWilliam Gladstone's election committee at Oxford in 1865. On 23 June 1865, he accepted the offer of the see of Chester, and was consecrated on 8 July.[2]
In his charge at his primary visitation in October 1868 (published), Jacobson spoke on the duty of rubrical conformity. Although he had no liking for new ritual, he made it clearly understood that he would discountenance prosecutions forritualism. His call to conformity gave offence to somelow churchmen, and in the earlier years of his episcopate he was twice mobbed byOrangemen inLiverpool when on his way to consecrate churches intended for the performance of an ornate service. He promoted the division of his diocese made by the foundation of thebishopric of Liverpool in 1880.[2]
Failure of health caused Jacobson to resign his bishopric in February 1884; he was then in his eighty-first year. He died at the episcopal residence,Deeside, on Sunday morning, 13 July 1884.[3] His portrait, painted by Richmond, has been engraved.[2]
Jacobson published:[2]
and a few shorter books, sermons, and charges. He also wrote annotations on theActs of the Apostles for theSpeaker's Commentary.[2]
Jacobson married, on 23 June 1836, Eleanor Jane, youngest daughter of Dawson Turner. By his wife, who survived him, he had ten children, of whom three sons and two daughters survived him.[2] Their son was the surgeonW. H. A. Jacobson.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: "Jacobson, William".Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford 1848–1865 | Succeeded by |
| Church of England titles | ||
| Preceded by | Bishop of Chester 1865–1884 | Succeeded by |
