Newman, John Henry 1801-90
English autobiographer, poet and religious writer

Born in London, he was appointed vicar of St Mary's, Oxford. He became celebrated as a preacher and leader of the Tractarian (or Oxford) Movement, but in the early 1840s drew closer to Roman Catholicism. Converted in 1845, he became a Catholic priest and established the Birmingham Oratory. He wrote extensively on the theological questions of the day, but is famous chiefly for the Apologia pro Vita Sua (1864), in which he set out the history of his religious views and defended himself forcefully against the charge of untruthfulness levelled against him by Charles Kingsley. This unusual autobiography established him as one of the great stylists in the history of English prose. His poem 'The Dream of Gerontius' (1865), provided the text of Elgar's oratorio, and his hymn 'Lead, kindly light' illustrates his gift for a memorable turn of phrase. Made a cardinal in 1879, Newman avoided public display and remained in Birmingham serving his congregation for the remainder of his life. His brother was Francis William Newman.

Bibliography: M Trevor, Newman's Journey (1974)