Basil Wilberforce

Who was Basil Wilberforce?

Albert Basil Orme Wilberforce was an Anglican priest and author in the second half of the 19th century and the first two decades of the 20th.

Born in Winchester as the younger son of Samuel Wilberforce, he was educated at Eton College and Exeter College, Oxford and ordained in 1866. He was chaplain to the Bishop of Oxford and then held curacies at Cuddesdon, Seaton and Southsea. He was Rector of St. Mary's, Southampton from 1871 to 1894, and an Honorary Canon of Winchester. In April 1894 he was appointet Canon of Westminster Abbey and Rector of the parish church of St John the Evangelist, annexed to Westminster. He was appointed Chaplain of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in 1896 and Archdeacon of Westminster in 1900. He died in post on 13 May 1916.