Thomas Penswick was an English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District from 1831 to 1836.

Born in Ashton-in-Makerfield

Ashton-in-Makerfield

Ashton-in-Makerfield is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. It is situated south of Wigan, north-northwest of Warrington and west of the city of Manchester. In 2001 it had a population of 28,505....

, Lancashire

Lancashire

Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...

 on 7 March 1772, he was ordained

Holy Orders

The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....

 to the priesthood

Priesthood (Catholic Church)

The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....

 on 1 April 1797. He was appointed coadjutor

Coadjutor bishop

A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...

 to the Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District, Bishop Thomas Smith

Thomas Smith (vicar apostolic)

Thomas Smith was an English Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District from 1821 to 1831.He was born on 21 March 1763, the son of James Smith of the Brooms, near Lanchester, County Durham. Thomas was ordained to the priesthood in 1788 by Louis-François-Marc...

, on 13 January 1824. On the same day, Penswick was appointed Titular Bishop

Titular bishop

A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...

 of Europus, and consecrated

Consecration

Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...

 to the Episcopate

Episcopal polity

Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...

 by Bishop William Poynter

William Poynter

William Poynter was an English Catholic priest, bishop as vicar apostolic in London.-Life:He was educated at the English College at Douai, where he was ordained in 1786...

 on 29 June 1824. On the death of Bishop Smith

Thomas Smith (vicar apostolic)

Thomas Smith was an English Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District from 1821 to 1831.He was born on 21 March 1763, the son of James Smith of the Brooms, near Lanchester, County Durham. Thomas was ordained to the priesthood in 1788 by Louis-François-Marc...

on 30 July 1831, Bishop Penswick automatically succeeded as Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District.

He died in office on 28 January 1836, aged 63.