LIDDON, HENRY PARRY, 1829-1890.
Papers, 1879-1889.

MANUSCRIPT NUMBER 066

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CITATION: Henry Parry Liddon Papers, MSS 066, Archives and Manuscripts Dept., Pitts Theology Library, Emory University.

Henry Parry Liddon was born at North Stoneham, Hampshire, England, on August 20, 1829.  He was the eldest son of Captain Matthew Liddon, R.N. and Anne Bilke Liddon.  Captain Liddon was second in command to Sir Edward Parry, godfather to young Henry, on his expedition to the Arctic.  In 1832, the family moved to Colyton, Devonshire where Henry attended a neighboring day-school.  At the age of ten, he began attending Lyme Regis and studied under George Roberts. He entered King's College School, London in 1841 where he advanced into the upper sixth of the school.  By age 16, Liddon was copiously writing sermons, some of which were used by various ministers.  Due in part to these sermons and his reputation at King's College, Liddon received a studentship at the age of 17, to Christ Church, Oxford in 1846.  He was confirmed in this studentship and kept it till his death in 1890.  In 1871, however, he dedicated the stipend from this position to a fund for poor students.  He completed the B.A. in 1850 and won the Johnson theological scholarship in 1851.  While at Oxford, he became involved with the Oxford movement and championed E. B. Pusey (MSS 64) and John Keble's (MSS 96) cause.

 Liddon became a deacon in 1852 and an Anglican priest in 1853.  Shortly after his ordination, he moved to Wantage to act as curate to the dean of Lincoln, the Rev. W. J. Butler.  Through his parish work and experiences at the Wantage workhouse, Liddon was exposed to the plight of the poor.  He never lost his compassion for the poor nor the realization of the harshness of the poor laws.  He left this position in 1854 when he was made first vice-principal of Cuddesdon Theological College.  Liddon's teachings aroused suspicion and prompted a commission of inquiry into the managemant of the college in 1859.  This commission was headed by C. P. Golightly of Oxford.  Bishop Wilberforce (MSS 99), in his defense as head of the college, was unable to completely agree with Liddon's ideas.

On Easter of 1859 Liddon resigned his office and returned to Oxford where he was appointed vice-principal of St. Edmund's Hall.  In 1864 he became the examining chaplain to the bishop of Salisbury, Walter Kerr Hamilton.  He was appointed select preacher of the university in 1863, 1870, and 1884.  He delivered his `Bampton Lectures', `On the Divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ', in 1866.  These lectures were well received and were published shortly after their presentation.  In 1870 he was made a canon of St. Paul's and Ireland professor of Exegesis at Oxford, a post he kept until his retirement in 1882.  Liddon was strongly opposed to the Chruch Discipline Act of 1874 and declined the bishopric of Edinburgh in 1886.  He received an honorary degree of LL.D from Cambridge in June of 1889.  He contracted a severe chill at the funeral of his friend Lord Carnavon on July 3, 1890 and died at Weston-super-Mare on September 9, 1890.

This collection consists mainly of letters from the last decade of Liddon's life.  The collection contains one newspaper clipping, one photograph of Liddon, and five letters ranging in date from 1879 to 1889.