The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-02-26 00:00:00

THE LATE BISHOP OF CHICHESTER.

The Right Rev. Ashurst Turner Gilbert, D D., Lord Bishop
of Chichester. died at the Episcopal Police, Chichester, on
Monday morninsr, at 530. lIIs Lordship had been confined
tn his room during the past fortnight, partly from the hide.
mency of the weather and pertly from old age, being in his
eith )ear. On ,atublay last he was taken ill, end on Sunday
fears were entertained respecting hint. The cause of death
we believe to have been psralysis of the lower bowels.
- •• - - - - -

. .
If the late Bishop Gilbert was not so distinguished a pre-
late, or one who will hereafter be found to baveleft so lasting
a mark on the Established Church, Ilf the Blomflelds,
Sumners, and Philipotts, who have been among his contem-
poraries and colleagues on the Episcopal Bench, at all
events he won a moo who did good bard work in his day,
both It Oxford and in the southern diocese, which he ad-
ministered smartly and effectively for more than a quarter of
a century.

The Right Rev. Milling Turner Glbert was the son of a
gentleman who at one time wails captain in the Marines, and
was born in the neighbourhood of Portsmouth about the year
1705, thou). h the eio.ct date Is not given or recorded. Ms
lather, Mr. Thomas Gilbert, is said to have been sprung of •
respectable Devonshire family, and at the beginning of the
present centlify is recorded as being of " Ratcliffe, In the
county of Buckingham." lie subsequently removed to
Henley-on-Thames, where a monument to his memory is to
be seen upon the wall of the parish church. Young Gilbert,
after a few years of preparatory training, was sent,
in January, Inoth to the Grammar School of Manchester,
at that time under the late Rev C. Lawson, of Corpus
Christi College, Oxford a man who was by birth and
principle a non-Juror, and who never therefore, took
priest's orders.) Having remained at Manchester live
years he was entered at Braienose College, Oxford,
where he went into residence with an Exhibition from
his school. Ile took his Bachelor's degree iu Michael-
mas term, ISI.S ; and his name stood side by side with that
of the late Sir Robert l'eel in the first-class in the newly-
established erhowl of "Lite.° liumaniores " lie put on Lis
Bachelor's gown in the following January, and • month or
two later v. as nominated a Ilulmian Exhibitiomr of his
College. Having subsequently been elected to a Fellowship
at Brasenose, he took his hi A. degree in 1811, and occupied
himself for several years as tutor of his College, acting also in
1816-17 and In 1017-18 as one of the public muniners in the
lasslcal schools.

On the somewhat midden death of Dr. Frodsham Dodson,
early in 1821, be was chosen Principal of his Col ege : and
while holding that post he discharged the duties of Vice-
Chancellor of his University for the customary space of
four years, in 1836-40. On the death of Dr Philip N. Shut-
tieworth he was presented to the See of Chichester by Or
Robert Peel, his old friend and contemporary at Oxford, and
was consecrated in the chapel of Lambeth Palace on the 27th
of February 1042. On quilting Oxford be was presented by
the Fellows and graduate members of Brasenose with a hand-
some table no vice of plate, in token of his zeal in watching
over the in erests of his C dlege, and the courtesy and
urbanity with which he had discharged the duties of his high
position.

While still at Brasenose, and even more recently, after Ala
elevation to the licn,h, he took a lively interest in his old
school in the north, which had sent him fcrth canna anc-
coastal core. r at Ororii, and nothing gave him greater plea-
sure than attending its anniversary meetings. lits fostering
care as Bishop of Chichester was extended to Lancing College
and the other educational institutions connected with it
which have sprung up at Uurstpierpoint and Osewhere in
the county of Sussex. He was also much WI, veil by the
parochial clergy of his diocese. Though his perf,onal leinlng
was in the direction of High Church opinions, he was averse
teem any appreach to It onanism or Ronsanixing doings ;and
it will be remembered that in October, lii4B. he interdicted
Mr. Purchas from carrying nu his tiara-Ritual i•tic services
at St. James' Chapel, Brighton. Dr. Gilbert was not the
author of any theological works, beyond • few sermons,
pamphlets, and Charges.

_
Dr Gilbert's line tall figure awl handsome face, white hair
and dark eyes, will long be remembered by Oxford liken;
and his memory will be held in honour anti affection In the
diocese over which he so long presided. He -ferried, on the
Slat of December. D 0.3, Mary Anne only child and heiress
of the late Rey. 8.. Winne, vicar of cultism. near oxford,
by whom he had a numerous family—two son, and nine
daughters. Mrs. Gilbert died at the Palace, Chichester, in
December 1063, ano lice huriei there. Dr. (tither, was the
frhul Bishop of Chmbester ; his sancta° was coterminous
with the comtty of Sussex. a,ol he enjoyed the patronage of
about 40 livings. The See lint the value of t 4,200 a year.