Chronology
Chronology
1801
February 21, born at Old Broad Street, London, eldest of six children of John Newman (d. 1824), banker, and of Jemima (d. 1836), daughter of Henry Fourdrinier, paper maker.
1808
(Until 1816), at Ealing School, a private boarding school.
1816
March. Financial collapse of his father’s bank.
Early August to December 21, serious illness. Evangelical conversion under the influence of classics master, the Rev Walter Meyers.
1817
(Until 1820), enters Trinity College, Oxford.
1818
May. College scholarship
November 4, publishes with J. W. Bowden St Bartholomew’s Eve, an anti-Catholic narrative poem.
1820
November, breakdown during Schools (finals), gains a fourth in Classics.
1822
April 12, elected to a Fellowship by examination at Oriel College.
1823
April, E. B. Pusey elected Fellow of Oriel.
1824
June 23, Trinity Sunday, Newman ordained deacon, becomes curate of St Clements parish in east Oxford.
September 29, death of John Newman senior.
1825
March, Vice-Principal, St Alban Hall, under Richard Whately.
1824–6
Articles for Encyclopaedia Metropolitana on Cicero, Apolonius of Tyana, and miracles in the Bible.
1825
Whit Sunday, ordained priest of Church of England.
1826
Publication of Whately’s Elements of Logic (1826), with assistance from Newman. Newman appointed Tutor of Oriel. Hurrell Froude elected Fellow of Oriel.
1826
July 2, first university sermon, ‘The Philosophical Temper first enjoined by the Gospel’.
1827
Publication of John Keble’s The Christian Year.
November, breakdown from overwork.
1828
January 5, death of Newman’s sister Mary.
February, Edward Hawkins elected Provost of Oriel.
March 14, Newman becomes Vicar of University Church (St Mary the Virgin).
Summer, Newman begins systematic reading of the Fathers.
1829
January, ‘Poetry, with reference to Aristotle’s Poetics’, in London Review.
February, Newman joins successful campaign to oust Sir Robert Peel as MP for Oxford, because of his support for Catholic Emancipation.
March, Catholic Emancipation Act: Newman elected Secretary of Oxford branch of the evangelical Church Missionary Society.
1830
February 1, publishes Suggestions on Behalf of the Church Missionary Society.
March 8, deposed as Secretary of Oxford branch of CMS.
June, Newman resigns membership of Bible Society: Provost Hawkins suspends supply of pupils to Newman.
1831
Commissioned by Hugh James Rose to write a History of the General Councils.
1832
December 8, commences Mediterranean tour with Archdeacon and Hurrell Froude.
1833
March, visits Nicholas Wiseman at Venerable English College in Rome.
April, Sicily, Newman contracts typhoid.
June, composes ‘Lead Kindly Light’ aboard ship for England.
Reform Act passed in England.
July 9, return to England.
July 14, Keble’s Assize Sermon ‘On National Apostacy’.
July 25–28, Hadleigh Conference, key moment in the emergence of the ‘Oxford Movement’.
August, publishes first essay of The Church of the Fathers in the British Magazine.
September 9, Newman publishes the first three Tracts for the Times.
October 29, Tracts 6 and 7 ‘The Episcopal Church Apostolical’.
November 4 and 11, Tracts 10 and 11.
November 5, Publication of Arians of the Fourth Century: Hurrell Froude departs for West Indies.
December 13 and 23, Tracts 15 and 19, Apostolical Succession.
December 24, Tract 20, The Visible Church.
1834
January 1, Tract 21, Mortification of the Flesh a duty.
Lyra Apostolica – volume of verses with Keble and others.
March, publishes first volume of Parochial Sermons.
April 25, Tract 31, The Reformed Church.
May 1, Tracts 33 and 34, Primitive Epsicopacy, Rites and Customs.
June, Newman refuses to solemnize marriage of Miss Jubber, as an unbaptized person.
June 25, August 24, Tracts 38 and 41, The Via Media.
September, Newman begins published correspondence with the Abbe Jaeger.
November 1, Tract 47, Visible Church.
1835
March, publishes The Restoration of Suffragan Bishops Recommended and second volume of Parochial Sermons.
May, defeat of proposal to admit Dissenters to Oxford University.
1836
January, Volume 3 of Parochial Sermons, Tract 71, Controversy with Romanists.
February 2, Tract 73, Introduction of Rationalist Principles into Religion.
February 13, publishes (anonymously) Elucidations of Dr Hamden’s Theological Statements.
February 17, Hamden appointed Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford.
February 28, death of Hurrell Froude.
April, British Critic review, Le Bas Life of Laud.
April 25, Tract 74, Catena Patrum on Apostolic Succession.
Summer, Newman commences Lectures on Prophetical Office of the Church in Adam de Brome chapel.
June 24, Tract 75, on the Roman Breviary.
July, British Critic ‘Brothers Controversy’ on Apostolic Tradition.
Reviews in British Critic Burton’s History of the Christian Church.
October, British Critic review of Wiseman’s Lectures on the Catholic Church.
1837
March, Lectures on Prophetical Office published.
March 25, Tract 79, On Purgatory.
June 25, publishes Letter to Dr Geoffrey Faussett.
July, British Critic review of Life of Franke.
October, British Critic review, de Lamennais, Affairs of Rome.
November 1, Tract 82, defence of Pusey on Baptism.
1838
January, Newman takes over as editor of British Critic.
February, Vols 1 and 2 of Froude’s Remains published (Newman and Keble, eds).
March 30, Lectures on Justification published.
June 29, Tract 83, Advent sermons on AntiChrist.
July, British Critic review of Geraldine, a tale of Conscience.
British Critic review of Ingram’s Memorials of Oxford.
British Critic review of Random Recollections of Exeter Hall.
August, Bishop Bagot of Oxford’s Charge on the Tracts.
September, consecration of Newman’s new chapel at Littlemore.
September 21, Tract 85, Scripture Proof of the Doctrines of the Church.
October, British Critic review of Palmer’s Treatise on the Church of Christ.
November, Golightly begins subscription for the Oxford Martyr’s Memorial.
Volume 4, Parochial Sermons.
1839
Newman edits Catechetical Lectures of St Cyril (translated by R. W. Church) and Treatises of St Cyprian, for the Library of the Fathers.
January, Newman collects and re-publishes his anti-Roman utterances.
British Critic review of Jacobson’s Apostolical Fathers – Ignatius.
April, Newman publishes ‘State of Religious Parties’, British Critic.
British Critic review of Elliott’s Travels in Three Great Empires.
August, Wiseman’s Dublin Review article on ‘The Anglican Claim to Apostolical Succession’.
October, British Critic article, ‘The Anglo-American Church’.
Review of Brief Memoir of Nicholas Ferrar.
1840
January, British Critic article, ‘Catholicity of the English Church’, a reply to Wiseman.
March 25, Tract 88, Bishop Andrewes’ Devotions.
May, acquires 9 acres of land at Littlemore and converts a row of cottages into an informal ‘monastery’.
July, British Critic review of books on ‘Persecution of Protestants in Germany’.
October, Volume 5, Parochial Sermons.
British Critic review of Life of Countess of Huntingdon.
British Critic review of Todd’s Discourses on Antichrist.
1841
January, British Critic review of Milman’s History of Christianity.
January 25, Tract 90, on subscription to the 39 Articles.
February, Letters to the Times by ‘Catholicus’ On the Tamworth Reading Room.
March 13, Newman’s Letter to R. W. Jelf on Tract 90.
March 16, university authorities condemn Tract 90.
March 29, letter to the Bishop of Oxford on Tract 90.
April, British Critic review of Bowden’s Gregory VII.
July, Episcopal condemnations of Tract 90 begin. British Critic article, ‘Private Judgement’.
British Critic review of Aquinas’s Catena Aurea.
October 5, Jerusalem Bishopric authorized by Parliament.
1842
Newman translates Select Treatises of S. Athanasius vol 1, for the Library of the Fathers.
February, Newman moves to Littlemore. Publishes volume 6, Parochial Sermons: translation of Fleury’s Ecclesiastical History with prefatory Essay on Ecclesiastical Miracles (reissued in separate format 1843).
April, British Critic review Works of John Davison.
1843
Newman translates S. Athanasius Historical Treatises for the Library of the Fathers.
January, prints unsigned retraction of his anti-Roman writings in The Conservative Journal.
February 2, preaches university sermon on ‘The Theory of Developments in Religious Doctrine’.
Late February, publishes Oxford University Sermons.
May, informs Keble that he believed Roman Catholic Church ‘the Church of the Apostles’.
September 18, resigns St Mary’s, preaches at Littlemore September 25, his last Anglican sermon, ‘The Parting of Friends’: publishes prospectus to The Lives of the British Saints.
Late 1843, Sermons on Subjects of the Day.
1844
Newman translates Select Treatises of S. Athanasius vol 2. Library of the Fathers.
February, Convocation of University condemns Ward’s Ideal and strips him of his degrees. Censure of Tract 90 vetoed by Proctors.
1845
June, W. G. Ward publishes Ideal of a Christian Church.
September, death of John Bowden, Newman’s oldest Oxford friend.
October 3, resigns Fellowship at Oriel.
October 9, received into the Catholic Church by Fr Dominic Barberi.
November 1, Newman confirmed by Wiseman at Oscott.
November, Essay on Development published.
1846
February 22, leaves Littlemore, moves to Old Oscott (Maryvale) near Birmingham.
September, leaves England for Rome.
November enrolls at College of Propaganda Fide to prepare for ordination.
1847
May 30, ordained RC priest.
October 10, appointed Superior of the English Oratory of St Philip.
December 24, arrives in London.
1848
February 1, Oratory established at Maryvale. Frederick Faber and companions admitted 14 February.
February 21, Publishes Loss and Gain, the Story of a Convert.
1849
January 26, moves the Oratory to former gin distillery, Alcester St., Birmingham. London Oratory settles in King William Street under Frederick Faber.
1850
March 9, Gorham Judgement in Court of Arches.
May 9, begins the polemical lectures On Certain Difficulties felt by Anglicans in submitting to the Catholic Church at the London Oratory.
September 29, Restoration of the Catholic Hierarchy in England.
1851
April, H. E. Manning becomes a Catholic.
June 30, Newman begins Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England in the Birmingham Corn Exchange.
July 18, Newman invited by Archbishop Cullen to become Rector of Catholic University in Dublin.
August, Evangelical Alliance initiates prosecution of Newman for libel against apostate Dominican Giovanni Achilli.
November 12, Newman appointed Rector of the Catholic University of Ireland.
1852
February, Oratory moves to Hagley Road, Edgbaston.
May 10, begins lectures on The Idea of a University at the Dublin Rotunda.
June 24, the Achilli Trial, Newman found guilty of libel.
July 13, Newman delvers his sermon on ‘The Second Spring’ at the first Synod of the restored Catholic hierarchy at Oscott.
1853
February 2, Discourse on the Scope and Nature University Education published, ‘one of my two most perfect works, artistically’ [the other was Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics, his most amusing book].
October-November, Liverpool lectures On the History of the Turks in its Relation to Christianity (pub. 1854).
1854
March, Newman’s letters to Catholic Standard ‘Who’s to Blame’, on the Crimean conflict.
Begins Catholic University Gazette.
1855
October, quarrel between London and Birmingham Oratories begins, formal separation 1856.
1856
Early 1856, Callista, a Tale of the Third Century (published anonymously).
June 29, opening of Newman’s University Church in Dublin.
1857
Publishes Sermons preached on Various Occasions.
August, commissioned by Wiseman and bishops to oversee Catholic translation of the bible.
1858
January 1, Launches university periodical, The Atlantis. Article on ‘The Mission of St Benedict’.
January-March, publishes six leading articles on ‘The Catholic University’ in H. Wilberforce’s Weekly Register.
July, declines to attend Aldenham meeting with the liberal Catholics Acton and Dollinger.
Publishes ‘St Cyril’s Formula’ in Atlantis.
November 12, resigns as rector of the Catholic University.
1859
March, accepts editorship of The Rambler.
July, publishes article ‘On Consulting the Laity in Matters of Doctrine’. Resigns editorship. Delated to Rome for heresy by Bishop Brown of Newport.
Opens Oratory School, Edgbaston.
1860
May, Bishop Ullathorne proposes establishment of a Catholic mission in Oxford.
Autumn, Benjamin Jowett publishes Essays and Reviews by seven Anglican Liberals.
1862
June, publishes disclaimer in The Globe newspaper of any intention of leaving the Oratory to return to the Church of England.
1863
August, Malines Congress (Liberal Catholic conference, key speeches by Montalambert, Dollinger).
September 26, death of Fr Faber.
December, Kingsley attacks Newman in Macmillan’s Magazine.
1864
February 12, Newman publishes his correspondence with Kingsley as pamphlet.
March 5, ‘Munich Brief’ of Pio Nono (Pope Pius IX), attacking Liberal Catholicism.
March 20, Kingsley publishes What, then, does Dr Newman mean?
March 31, Newman begins writing the Apologia.
April 21, first part of Apologia published as pamphlet.
June 16, eighth and final weekly part of Apologia published.
October, Newman buys land in Oxford for a College and church.
December 8, promulgation of encyclical Quanta cura by Pius IX, with the Syllabus of Errors.
1865
February 15, death of Cardinal Wiseman.
May 8, Henry Edward Manning appointed Archbishop of Westminster.
May, first part of Dream of Gerontius appears in The Month.
September, Pusey’s Eirenicon.
1866
January, Newman publishes Letter to Dr Pusey (on Catholic devotion to the Virgin).
October, Newman preaches ‘The Pope and the Revolution’ on the Temporal Power.
1867
June 26, Pope Pius IX announces calling of 1st Vatican Council.
August, Propaganda Fide declares English Catholic attendance at Oxford ‘a proximate occasion of mortal sin’.
1868
January, Verses on Various Occasions.
October, Newman declines invitation to attend Council as Consultor.
W. J. Copeland (Newman’s former curate) begins republication of Parochial and Plain Sermons (8 vols.).
1869
Copeland reissues Sermons Bearing on Subjects of the Day.
1870
January 28, private letter to Ullathorne against the definition of Infallibility.
March 15, publication of Grammar of Assent.
July 18, promulgation of Papal Infallibility.
September 20, surrender of Papal Rome to Kingdom of Italy.
1872
Discussions and Arguments on Various Subjects
New and expanded edition of Fifteen Sermons Preached before the University of Oxford.
1874
November 5, Gladstone, Vatican Decrees in their Bearing on Civil Allegiance.
January 14, Newman’s Letter to the Duke of Norfolk.
1875
May 24, death of Ambrose St John.
1877
August, Preface to the Third Edition of the Via Media.
December 15, elected first Honorary Fellow of Trinity College Oxford.
1878
February 7, death of Pio Nono.
February 20, Giachino Pecchi elected Pope Leo XIII.
1879
March 15, Newman formally offered Cardinalate, and accepts.
May 12, Newman’s red hat confirmed, as Cardinal Deacon of S. Georgio in Vellabro, in Consistory in Rome: he makes the Biglietto speech on his lifelong battle against ‘liberalism’.
1882
June, Tom Mozley’s Reminiscences Chiefly of Oriel College and the Oxford Movement.
1884
February, ‘On the Inspiration of Scripture’, in The Nineteenth Century.
1885
May, A. M. Fairbairn attacks Newman’s ‘philosophical skepticism’ in The Contemporary Review.
October, Newman replies with ‘Revelation in its relation to Faith’.
1890
August 11, 8.45p.m., Newman dies of pneumonia.
August 19, buried at Rednall in the grave of Ambrose St John.