Francis Leighton
Encyclopedia
Francis Knyvett Leighton (1806 – 13 October 1881) was an English academic and priest, who was Warden
of All Souls College, Oxford
from 1858 until his death.
, matriculating
as a member of Trinity College
on 24 June 1823 at the age of 16. He was a demy (scholar) at Magdalen College
from 1823 to 1829, obtaining a second-class BA
degree in 1828, and winning a prize for Latin verse in 1826. He was elected to a Fellowship at All Souls College
in 1829, which he held until 1843. He was ordained as a priest in the Church of England
and served as Rector of Cardeston
, Shropshire
, and then as vicar
of St Chad's, Shrewsbury
and rector of Harpsden
, Oxfordshire
. He was elected Warden of All Souls in 1858, holding the position until his death on 13 October 1881; as Warden, he was also rector of Lockinge
in Oxfordshire. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford
from 1866 to 1870 (a post in which he was "distinguished by his courtesy and hospitality", according to his obituary in The Times
), and a residentiary canon
of Westminster Abbey
from 1868 onwards. He died in the Warden's Lodgings at the college, aged 75, after a "long and lingering illness". He was described as being "distinguished by an amiable and refined, but genial courtesy".
Warden (college)
A warden is the head of some colleges and other educational institutions. This applies especially at some colleges and institutions at the University of Oxford:* All Souls College* Greyfriars* Keble College* Merton College* New College* Nuffield College...
of All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
from 1858 until his death.
Life
Leighton was educated at the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, matriculating
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
as a member of Trinity College
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
on 24 June 1823 at the age of 16. He was a demy (scholar) at Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
from 1823 to 1829, obtaining a second-class BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1828, and winning a prize for Latin verse in 1826. He was elected to a Fellowship at All Souls College
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
in 1829, which he held until 1843. He was ordained as a priest in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and served as Rector of Cardeston
Cardeston
Cardeston is a small settlement in Shropshire, England. It is near the A458 road and is west of Shrewsbury. It is part of the civil parish of Alberbury with Cardeston. It has no facilities, apart from a church.-External links:*...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, and then as vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of St Chad's, Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
and rector of Harpsden
Harpsden
Harpsden is a village and civil parish just south of Henley-on-Thames in South Oxfordshire.-History:Remains of a Roman villa have been found about southwest of the village....
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. He was elected Warden of All Souls in 1858, holding the position until his death on 13 October 1881; as Warden, he was also rector of Lockinge
Lockinge
Lockinge is a civil parish in Oxfordshire in England, consisting of the villages of East Lockinge and West Lockinge, as well as the hamlet of Betterton, which is also a lost settlement. It is located between the town of Wantage and the village of Ardington. In 1974 it was transferred from Berkshire...
in Oxfordshire. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
from 1866 to 1870 (a post in which he was "distinguished by his courtesy and hospitality", according to his obituary in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
), and a residentiary canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
from 1868 onwards. He died in the Warden's Lodgings at the college, aged 75, after a "long and lingering illness". He was described as being "distinguished by an amiable and refined, but genial courtesy".