Wentworth Webster
Encyclopedia
Wentworth Webster was an Anglican clergyman, scholar, and collector of folk tales of the Basque Country.
, he entered Lincoln College, Oxford
at the age of 21 and graduated in 1852. In 1854, he started as a deacon in the parish of Cloford, Somerset
. Though his fragile health delayed his ordination, he became a priest in 1861. He was then allowed to exercise his ministry to the English residents in France.
He had previously traveled to Scotland
, Germany
, Switzerland
, the Azores
, Rio de Janeiro
, and Buenos Aires
. From 1862 to 1863, he traveled to Egypt
before settling in southwest France. He was a tutor in the commune of Bagneres-de-Bigorre
where he met his future wife. Eventually, he served as the first chaplain of the new anglican church established in Saint-Jean-de-Luz
from 1869-1882. During those years, he had four girls and a boy who all spoke fluent Basque
. During his stay, he collected traditional Basque tales from the local people. With the help of Basque scholar Julien Vinson, he published these stories in the first edition of his Basque Legends in 1877.
Webster regularly published books including a book on Spain
entitled Spain. In 1882, he resigned from his position at the parish of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and settled in Sare
in the heart of Labourd. He continued to write religious and erudite articles on the Basque Country for both British
magazines and regional ones. He often traveled to the neighboring countries where he met many of his friends, including Antoine d'Abbadie. He also received many visitors including William Ewart Gladstone
, the British Prime Minister
at the time. In 1901, he wrote Les Loisirs d'un étranger en Pays basque.
In March 1907, King Edward VII went to Sare to attend a game of Basque pelota played in his honor. However, Webster, too weakened by illness, was not able to greet the king. Wentworth Webster died on April 2, 1907 while drafting an article on the Basque Country for the Encyclopædia Britannica
.
Biography
After studying in a private school in BrightonBrighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, he entered Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
at the age of 21 and graduated in 1852. In 1854, he started as a deacon in the parish of Cloford, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. Though his fragile health delayed his ordination, he became a priest in 1861. He was then allowed to exercise his ministry to the English residents in France.
He had previously traveled to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, and Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. From 1862 to 1863, he traveled to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
before settling in southwest France. He was a tutor in the commune of Bagneres-de-Bigorre
Bagnères-de-Bigorre
Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a French commune in the south-western Hautes-Pyrénées department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Notable people:Bagnères-de-Bigorre was the birthplace of:*Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke...
where he met his future wife. Eventually, he served as the first chaplain of the new anglican church established in Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Saint-Jean-de-Luz is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.Saint-Jean-de-Luz is part of the province Basque of Labourd and the Basque Eurocity Bayonne - San Sebastian .-Geography:...
from 1869-1882. During those years, he had four girls and a boy who all spoke fluent Basque
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
. During his stay, he collected traditional Basque tales from the local people. With the help of Basque scholar Julien Vinson, he published these stories in the first edition of his Basque Legends in 1877.
Webster regularly published books including a book on Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
entitled Spain. In 1882, he resigned from his position at the parish of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and settled in Sare
Sare
Sare is a village in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France....
in the heart of Labourd. He continued to write religious and erudite articles on the Basque Country for both British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
magazines and regional ones. He often traveled to the neighboring countries where he met many of his friends, including Antoine d'Abbadie. He also received many visitors including William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
, the British Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
at the time. In 1901, he wrote Les Loisirs d'un étranger en Pays basque.
In March 1907, King Edward VII went to Sare to attend a game of Basque pelota played in his honor. However, Webster, too weakened by illness, was not able to greet the king. Wentworth Webster died on April 2, 1907 while drafting an article on the Basque Country for the Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
.
Works
- Basque Legends, London, Griffith and Farran, 1877.
- Spain, Foreign Countries and British Colonies collection, Simpson Low, London, 1882.
- Grammaire cantabrique basque par Pierre d'Urte (1712), published by Wentworth Webster, Bagnères-de-Bigorre, 1900.
- Les Loisirs d'un étranger au Pays basque, Châlons-sur-Saöne, Imprimerie française et orientale E. Bertrand, 1901.
Sources
- "Wentworth Webster (1828-1907)", by Philippe Veyrin, in Wentworth Webster, Légendes Basques, Anglet, Éditions Aubéron, 2005