Born in the city of London, February 21, 1801, son of Mr. John Newman
(of the banking firm of Ramsbottom, Newman & Co.) and of Jemima
Fourdrinier, his wife.
Went at an early age to Dr. Nicholas's school at Ealing, to the head
of which he rapidly rose. Thence to Trinity College, Oxford,
graduating in 1820.
In 1823 was elected to a Fellowship at Oriel.
In 1824 took Anglican orders and became curate of St. Clements,
Oxford.
In 1828 was appointed vicar of St. Mary the Virgin, Oxford, with the
outlying chaplaincy of Littlemore.
In 1832 finished _History of the Arians_ and went abroad. Made
acquaintance with Dr. Wiseman in Rome; seized with fever in Sicily,
but said, "I shall not die--I have a work to do in England";
returning homewards in an orange-boat bound for Marseilles, and
within sight of Garibaldi's home at Caprera, wrote "Lead, Kindly
Light."
On July 13, 1833, the Sunday after his return home, the Oxford
movement was begun by Keble's sermon on National Apostasy. The issue
of _Tracts for the Times_ immediately followed; and in 1843 Mr.
Newman published a volume of _Parochial Sermons_, to be followed by
_University Sermons_ and _Sermons on Holy Days_.
In 1841 the Vice-Chancellor and heads of houses at Oxford censured
Mr. Newman's Tract XC.
In 1843 he resigned St. Mary's.
On October 9, 1845, was received into the Catholic Church at
Littlemore by Father Dominic.
On November 1, 1845, was confirmed at Oscott by Cardinal Wiseman.
On October 28, 1846, arrived in Rome, and, after a short period of
study, was ordained priest.
On Christmas Eve, 1847, he returned to England from Rome, to found
the community of St. Philip de Neri.
In January, 1849, part of the Oratorian Community settled in
Birmingham.
In 1849 took up temporary residence at Bilston, to nurse the poor
during a visitation of cholera.
In April, 1849, founded the London Oratory, with Father Faber as
rector.
On June 21, 1852, the case of Achilli against Dr. Newman came on for
trial before Lord Campbell, and, after several days' duration,
resulted in a verdict of "guilty," Dr. Newman being unjustly
sentenced to a fine and mulcted in enormous costs. The Rev. John
Joseph Gordon, to whom "The Dream of Gerontius" is dedicated, was of
great assistance to Newman at this time.
In 1854 went to Dublin as rector of the newly founded Irish Catholic
University, but resigned that post in 1858, and subsequently
established a boys' school at Birmingham.
In 1864 Charles Kingsley made charges of untruthfulness against the
Catholic clergy, which led to the writing of the _Apologia Pro Vita
Sua_.
In December, 1877, was elected an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College,
Oxford.