Robert Isaac Wilberforce

Robert Isaac Wilberforce (1802 - 1857), second son of William Wilberforce (1759 - 1833) and Barbara Anne Spooner (1771 - 1847), was born 19 December 1802 at Clapham, Surrey, England. He died at the age of 54 on 3 February 1857 at Albano, Italy, and was buried at Santa Maria Sopra Minerva Church, Plot: Just outside the right transept of the church, Rome, Provincia di Roma, Lazio, Italy. Robert married (1) Agnes Averilda Wrangham (1800 - 1834) on 16 June 1832 at Bridlington, Yorkshire, England, (2) Jane Legard (1801 - 1854).

Marriages and Children

1. Agnes Averilda Wrangham (1800 - 1834), married 16 June 1832 Bridlington, Yorkshire, England
   1. William Francis Wilberforce (1833 - 1905), Vicar of Brodsworth
   2. Edward Wilberforce (1834 - 1914), a master of the Supreme Court of Judicature
2. Jane Legard (1801 - 1854)

Biographical Sketch

English clergyman and writer, active in the Oxford Movement, Wilberforce was educated at Oriel College, Oxford, taking a double first in 1823. In 1826 he was chosen fellow of Oriel and was ordained. He was a tutor at Oriel until 1831, when he resigned and left Oxford. In 1832 he obtained the living of East Farleigh, Kent, which in 1840 he exchanged for that of Burton Agnes, near Hull. In 1841 he was appointed archdeacon of the East Riding of Yorkshire.

About this time Wilberforce became close with Henry Manning, and they exchanged many letters on theological and ecclesiastical questions. They were deeply involved in re-examining the relationship between the Church of England and Roman Catholicism. In 1851 Manning joined the Roman Catholic Church, and three years later Wilberforce took the same step. He was preparing for his ordination when he died at Albano, Italy.

Obituary

The Morning News, London: Monday, Feburary 16, 1857

The late Rev. R.I. Wilberforce, M.A., whose death in Italy has just been reported, was second son of the late Mr. William Wilberforce, M.P. for the West Riding of Yorkshire, and died at the age of about fifty-four. He was a "double first-class man" of Oxford and fellow of Oriel Collage, and some two or three years ago resigned his archdeaconry of the East Riding, and the living of Burton Agnes, near Bellingham (value £1,000 a year) from conscientious motives. Whatever may be thought of this gentleman's conduct in joining the Church of Rome, he deserved great credit for his honesty in resigning his only source of income, and his amiable, generous character and purity of life have been acknowledged by all who knew him. It is of this gentleman that a weekly newspaper is not ashamed to say, "We conceive that the death of Robert Wilberforce was as hopeless as that of Verger the assassin, or of Tom [illegible] the deist." The taste and gentlemanly feeling of this disgraceful paragraph may fairly be left to the judgement of our readers without comment.

Notes

• Alternate place of birth: York, North Yorkshire, England

Sources

• Find A Grave Memorial# 74748831