Thomas Legh Claughton
6 November 1808 -
25 July 1892

Family

Thomas Legh Claughton was the son of Thomas Claughton, M.P. for Lancashire, and Maria, daughter of Col. Thomas Peter Legh of Cheshire. In 1842 he married the Hon. Julia Susanna Ward, daughter of the tenth Lord Ward, by whom he had five sons and four daughters.

Education

Claughton was educated at Rugby, and in 1826 matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford. In 1828 he gained the university prize for Latin verse, and in the year after, the Newdigate prize for his poem "Voyages of Discovery to the Polar Regions." He graduated with his B.A. in 1831, with a first class in literae humaniores. In the following year, he was made fellow of his college and won the university prize for Latin composition. In 1833 he took his M.A. and was made tutor. Two years later, he was created public examiner, and for the years 1841, 1850, 1863, and 1868 was elected as Select Preacher for the university. From 1852 until 1857 he held the chair of Professor of Poetry at Oxford.

Church Appointments and Service

Claughton was ordained in 1834, but he did not obtain any settled appointment until 1841, at which time he was presented by Lord Ward (afterwards Earl of Dudley) to the vicarage of Kidderminster. In 1867 he was nominated Bishop of Rochester, in which capacity it fell to his lot to inhibit Rev. Arthur Tooth, vicar of St. James's, Hatcham, in 1877. In this same year, he was largely responsible for the creation of the new diocese of St. Albans, by division of the diocese of Rochester. He afterwards was translated to this new See.

Noteworthy Publications

Claughton edited Questions on the Collects, Epistles, and Gospels, 2 vols. (1853-57), and published several sermons and charges.

Footnote

"He was a most effective if not eloquent preacher, and his services for the pulpit or platform were constantly called for all over the kingdom."

"Claughton's sympathies were distinctly with the high church party, but he was never an extreme man. He was on terms of close intimacy with Charles Wordsworth, bishop of St. Andrew's, and with Bishop Samuel Wilberforce." -- DNB 22: 454-55