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— CH. 1 · BORN AT COPPED HALL —

Henry Edward Manning

~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
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  • Henry Edward Manning entered the world on the 15th of July 1808 at his grandfather's estate, Copped Hall in Totteridge, Hertfordshire. He was the third and youngest son of William Manning, a prominent merchant who also owned slaves. His father served as governor of the Bank of England from 1812 to 1813 and sat in Parliament for thirty years representing Tory interests. Manning spent his boyhood mainly at Coombe Bank in Sundridge, Kent. There he had companions named Charles Wordsworth and Christopher Wordsworth, who later became bishops of St Andrews and Lincoln respectively. He attended Harrow School between 1822 and 1827 under headmaster George Butler. Manning obtained no distinction beyond playing cricket for two years during that period.

  • Manning returned to Oxford in 1832 after resigning his clerkship at the Colonial Office. He gained election as a fellow of Merton College and received ordination as a deacon in the Church of England. In January 1833 he became curate to John Sargent, Rector of Lavington-with-Graffham in West Sussex. Following Sargent's death in May 1833, Manning succeeded him as rector due to patronage from Sargent's mother. He married Caroline Sargent on the 7th of November 1833 in a ceremony performed by Revd Samuel Wilberforce. His young wife came from a consumptive family and died childless on the 24th of July 1837. Despite being a celibate Catholic cleric decades later, Manning still wore a chain with a locket containing her picture when he died more than half a century later. In 1841 Philip Shuttleworth appointed Manning as Archdeacon of Chichester. He completed personal visitation of each parish within his district by 1843.

  • Manning's belief in Anglicanism was shattered in 1850 during the so-called Gorham judgement. The Privy Council ordered the Church of England to institute an evangelical cleric who denied that baptism had an objective effect of regeneration. That denial contradicted clear tradition from the Church Fathers according to Manning. A civil court forcing the church to accept such unorthodox opinion proved the Anglican Communion was man-made and controlled by Her Majesty's Government. On the 6th of April 1851 Manning was received into the Catholic Church in England. He studied at academia in Rome where he took his doctorate. On the 14th of June 1851 he was ordained a Catholic priest at the Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception in Farm Street. Given his great abilities and prior fame, he quickly rose to influence. He served as provost of the cathedral chapter under Cardinal Wiseman.

  • In 1865 Manning was appointed Archbishop of Westminster. Among his accomplishments were acquiring the site for Westminster Cathedral. His focus shifted toward a greatly expanded system of Catholic education including establishment of the short-lived Catholic University College in Kensington. In 1875 Manning was created Cardinal-Priest of Ss Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio. In 1878 he participated in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIII. Manning approved founding of the Catholic Association Pilgrimage. He established mission of St Mary of the Angels in Bayswater in 1857 to serve labourers building Paddington Station. At Wiseman's request he founded Congregation of Oblates of St Charles. This new community of secular priests was joint work of Cardinal Wiseman and Manning. Manning became superior of the congregation after visiting Oblates at Milan in 1856.

  • Manning used goodwill from Pope Pius IX to promote modern Catholic view of social justice. Several scholars consider him key contributor to papal encyclical Rerum novarum issued by Pope Leo XIII. That document marks beginning of modern Catholic social justice teaching. For part of 1870 he attended First Vatican Council in Rome. Manning was among strongest supporters of doctrine of papal infallibility unlike Cardinal Newman who thought it might not be prudent to define formally at time. In 1888 Manning was interviewed by social activist Virginia Crawford for The Pall Mall Gazette. He played significant role in settling London dock strike of 1889 at behest of Margaret Harkness. Manning did not support enfranchising women. In 1871 at St Mary Moorfield he said English womanhood should resist immodesty thrusting them into public conflicts of men.

  • Manning was anti-vivisectionist and founding member of Victoria Street Society for Protection of Animals from Vivisection. He served as vice-president of that society. At annual meeting of Victoria Street Society in June 1881 he denounced vivisection as inhumane and of doubtful benefit to science. In 1887 Manning commented that vivisection is not way all-wise maker has ordained for discovery of healing arts. His theological arguments against animal experimentation drew upon his belief in divine order. This stance aligned with broader Catholic social teaching emphasizing care for creation. Manning's activism demonstrated consistent moral rigor across diverse issues from labor rights to animal welfare.

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1808 births1892 deaths19th-century British cardinals19th-century English Anglican priests19th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the United Kingdom19th-century Roman Catholic bishops in EnglandAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordAnglican priest converts to Roman CatholicismArchdeacons of ChichesterBritish Roman Catholic archbishopsBurials at St Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Kensal GreenBurials at Westminster CathedralCardinals created by Pope Pius IXChristian writers about animal rights and welfareEnglish anti-vivisectionistsEnglish people of French descentFellows of Merton College, OxfordHistory of Catholicism in the United KingdomPeople educated at Harrow SchoolPeople from TotteridgePontifical Ecclesiastical Academy alumniPresidents of the Oxford UnionRoman Catholic archbishops of Westminster

Common questions

When was Henry Edward Manning born and where did he spend his boyhood?

Henry Edward Manning entered the world on the 15th of July 1808 at Copped Hall in Totteridge, Hertfordshire. He spent his boyhood mainly at Coombe Bank in Sundridge, Kent.

Why did Henry Edward Manning leave the Church of England to join the Catholic Church?

Manning's belief in Anglicanism was shattered in 1850 during the Gorham judgement which ordered the Church of England to institute an evangelical cleric denying that baptism had an objective effect of regeneration. On the 6th of April 1851 Manning was received into the Catholic Church after concluding that a civil court forcing such unorthodox opinion proved the Anglican Communion was man-made.

What major church positions did Henry Edward Manning hold between 1865 and 1878?

In 1865 Manning was appointed Archbishop of Westminster and in 1875 he was created Cardinal-Priest of Ss Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio. In 1878 he participated in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIII while having previously served as provost of the cathedral chapter under Cardinal Wiseman.

How did Henry Edward Manning contribute to modern Catholic social justice teaching?

Several scholars consider him key contributor to papal encyclical Rerum novarum issued by Pope Leo XIII which marks beginning of modern Catholic social justice teaching. Manning used goodwill from Pope Pius IX to promote modern Catholic view of social justice and played significant role in settling London dock strike of 1889 at behest of Margaret Harkness.

What were Henry Edward Manning's views on animal welfare and vivisection?

Manning was anti-vivisectionist and founding member of Victoria Street Society for Protection of Animals from Vivisection where he served as vice-president. At annual meeting of Victoria Street Society in June 1881 he denounced vivisection as inhumane and of doubtful benefit to science based on his belief in divine order.

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