WIL'BERFORCE, SAMUEL ( 1805-73 ) . A distinguished English bishop. He was born at Clapham, and privately educated until his ma triculation at Oriel College, Oxford. He was ordained deacon in 1828 and priest a year later, after which he became rector of Brightstone in the Isle of Wight and remained there for ten years. He became Archdeacon of Surrey in 1839 and Canon of 'Winchester in 1840, in which year he also took the living of Alverstoke in Hamp shire. In 1845 he was made Dean of West minster. Here lie remained only a few months, however, becoming Bishop of Oxford in October. His position here was unusually difficult, owing to the excitement caused by the ferment of the Oxford Movement. The new Bishop, however, took firm hold of his diocese and positively transformed it within a short time. Among other activities, he founded a theological college at Cuddesdon and a training college for school masters at Cnlham. lie soon became recognized
as n power in the House of Lords and in the na tional life generally. He was the prime mover in the revival of Convocation (q.v.), and took a leading part in the controversies over Essays and Pericles. the Hampden election, and the Colons° ease. In 1869, on the resignation of Bishop Sumner of Winchester, he was translated to the vaeant see, which gave him opportunities for more extended work. Only four years later, however, he was killed by a fall from his horse, July 19, 1873. Consult: his Life, by Canon Ashwell and his son Reginald Wilberforce (Lon don. 1879) : also a revised biography by Reginald Wilherforee alone (ib., 1888) ; another by Dan 1891) ; Burgon, in Lives of Twelve Good _Urn 1SSS) and references in most of the works cited under OXFORD MOVEMENT.