John Gilbert (archbishop of York)

History
History
Episcopal consecration
Date	28 December 1740

History
Ordination history of; John Gilbert
Date
History
Episcopal consecration
Date	28 December 1740

The Most Reverend and Right Honourable

John Gilbert
The Most Reverend and Right Honourable; John Gilbert;
Archbishop of York
	Portrait by Thomas Hudson
Province	Province of York
Diocese	Diocese of York
In office	1757–1761 (death)
Predecessor	Matthew Hutton
Successor	Robert Hay Drummond
Other post(s)	Dean of Exeter (27 December 1726 {elected}–?); Bishop of Llandaff (28 December 1740–1749); Bishop of Salisbury (October 1749–1757); Chancellor of the Order of the Garter (1750–?); Clerk of the Closet (October 1752–?); Lord High Almoner (c. 1757–?)
Personal details
Born	18 October 1693
Died	9 August 1761 (aged 67); Twickenham, Middlesex, Great Britain
Buried	Grosvenor Chapel
Nationality	British (formerly English)
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	John Gilbert & Martha
Spouse	Margaret Sherard; married 2 May 1726 at St James's, Westminster; she predeceased him
Children	Emma Countess of Mount Edgcumbe
Education	Merchant Taylors' School, City of London
Alma mater	Magdalen Hall, Oxford; Trinity College, Oxford; Merton College, Oxford

John Gilbert (18 October 1693 – 9 August 1761) was Archbishop of York from 1757 to 1761.^[1]

Early life

Gilbert was the son of John Gilbert, fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, vicar of St Andrew's, Plymouth, and prebendary of Exeter, who died in 1722.

He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School. He matriculated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford in July 1711, aged 17, but moved to Trinity College, Oxford, where he graduated BA in 1715. He became a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford in 1716, proceeded MA in February 1718, and received a Lambeth LL.D. in January 1725.^[2]

Career

Owing to his connection with the cathedral of Exeter and his aristocratic connections, Gilbert began early to climb the ladder of preferment. On 1 August 1721 he was appointed to the chapter living of Ashburton; on 4 January 1723 he succeeded to the prebendal stall vacated by his father's death; on 4 June 1724 he was appointed subdean of Exeter, which he vacated on his installation to the deanery, on 27 December 1726; on 8 January 1724 he was granted the degree of LLD at Lambeth. In January 1726, he received from the crown a canonry at Christ Church, which he held in commendam with the bishopric of Llandaff, to which he was consecrated on 28 December 1740.

In 1749, he was translated to Salisbury where he was also ex officio Chancellor of the Order of the Garter . In 1752, he succeeded Bishop Joseph Butler as Clerk of the Closet, and in 1757 the archiepiscopate of York, to which the office of Lord High Almoner was added, crowned his long series of ecclesiastical preferments.

Archbishop of York

Gilbert was mostly a place-holder archbishop. His health had begun to deteriorate prior to his appointment and he lived "through a pontificate of four years, when he sank under a complication of infirmities."^[3] Gilbert seems to have possessed few qualifications to justify his high promotion in the church. He was neither a scholar nor a theologian. Nor were these deficiencies compensated by graces of character. A friendly witness, Bishop Thomas Newton, speaks of his being regarded as "somewhat haughty;" while Horace Walpole, describes him as "composed of that common mixture of ignorance, meanness, and arrogance." John Newton, William Cowper's friend, when seeking to obtain ordination from him, found Gilbert "inflexible in supporting the rules and canons of the church."

His imperious character is illustrated by his refusal to allow the civic mace to be carried before the mayor of Salisbury in processions within the cathedral precincts, for which he claimed a separate jurisdiction, disobedience to which, it is said, caused an unseemly personal scuffle between him and the mace-bearer. According to Newton, Gilbert was the first prelate to introduce at confirmations the practice of the bishop laying his hands on each candidate at the altar rails, and then retiring and solemnly pronouncing the prayer once for the whole number. This mode was first observed at St. Mary's Church, Nottingham; it "commanded attention, and raised devotion," and before long became the regular manner of administering the rite.

Personal life

Gilbert married Margaret Sherard (sister of Philip Sherard, 2nd Earl of Harborough and daughter of Bennet Sherard of Whissendine and Dorothy, daughter of Henry Fairfax, 4th Lord Fairfax of Cameron), who predeceased him. They were the parents of:

Emma Gilbert, who married George Edgcumbe, 1st Earl of Mount Edgcumbe on 6 August 1761 at her father's house at Twickenham, three days before his death.

He died at Twickenham on 9 August 1761, aged 68, and was buried in a vault in Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley Street.

Legacy

Gilbert's only publications were occasional sermons. There are portraits of him, in the robes of the chancellor of the Order of the Garter.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k "Gilbert, John". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/10692. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ Foster, Joseph (1891). Alumni Oxonienses 1500–1714: Gilbert, John. pp. 542–568. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
^ W. Dickinson Rastall, History of Southwell (1787), p. 328

Attribution:

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Gilbert, John (1693–1761)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Church of England titles
Preceded by Matthias Mawson	Bishop of Llandaff 1740–1748	Succeeded by Edward Cresset
Preceded by Thomas Sherlock	Bishop of Salisbury 1749–1757	Succeeded by John Thomas
Preceded by Matthew Hutton	Archbishop of York 1757–1761	Succeeded by Robert Hay Drummond

[ODNB-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k "Gilbert, John". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/10692. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[2] Foster, Joseph (1891). Alumni Oxonienses 1500–1714: Gilbert, John. pp. 542–568. Retrieved 30 October 2022.

[3] W. Dickinson Rastall, History of Southwell (1787), p. 328

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Deans of Exeter
High Medieval	Serlo Roger de Wynkleigh William de Stanwey Roger de Toriz John Noble John Pycot Andrew de Kilkenny
Late Medieval	Henry de Somerset Thomas de Lechlade Bartholomew de Sancto Laurentio Richard de Coleton Richard de Braylegh Reginald de Bugwell Robert Sumpter Thomas Walkyngton Ralph Tregrision Stephen Payn John Cobethorn John Hals Henry Webber Peter Courtenay Lionel Woodville John Arundel
Early modern	Edward Willoughby Thomas Hobbes John Vesey Richard Pace Reginald Pole Simon Haynes James Haddon Thomas Reynolds Gregory Dodds George Carew Stephen Townesend Matthew Sutcliffe William Peterson Seth Ward Edward Young George Cary Richard Annesley William Wake Lancelot Blackburne Edward Trelawney John Gilbert Alured Clarke William Holmes Charles Lyttleton Jeremiah Milles William Buller Charles Harward
Late modern	Charles Talbot George Gordon John Garnett Whittington Landon Thomas Lowe Charles Ellicott The Viscount Midleton Archibald Boyd Benjamin Cowie Alfred Earle Henry Gamble Walter Matthews Spencer Carpenter Alexander Wallace Marcus Knight Clifford Chapman Richard Eyre Keith Jones Jonathan Meyrick Jonathan Draper

v t e Bishops of Llandaff
High Medieval	Joseph Herewald Urban Uhtred Nicholas ap Gwrgant William de Saltmarsh Henry de Abergavenny William de Goldcliff Elias de Radnor William de Christchurch William de Burgh John de la Ware William de Radnor William de Braose Philip de Staunton
Late Medieval	John of Monmouth Alexander de Monmouth John de Egglescliffe John Paschal Rodger Cradock Thomas Rushhook William Bottlesham Edmund de Bromfield Robert Tideman of Winchcombe Andrew Barret John Burghill Thomas Peverel John de la Zouche John Wells Nicholas Ashby John Hunden John Smith John Marshall John Ingleby
Early modern	Miles Salley George de Athequa Robert Holgate Anthony Kitchin Hugh Jones William Blethyn Gervase Babington William Morgan Francis Godwin George Carleton Theophilus Feild William Murray Morgan Owen Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Hugh Lloyd Francis Davies William Lloyd William Beaw John Tyler Robert Clavering John Harris Matthias Mawson John Gilbert Edward Cresset Richard Newcome John Ewer Jonathan Shipley Hon Shute Barrington Richard Watson Herbert Marsh William Van Mildert Charles Sumner Edward Copleston Alfred Ollivant Richard Lewis Joshua Pritchard Hughes
Church in Wales	Joshua Pritchard Hughes Timothy Rees John Morgan (Archbishop of Wales) Glyn Simon (Archbishop of Wales) Eryl Thomas John Poole-Hughes Roy Davies Barry Morgan (Archbishop of Wales) June Osborne Mary Stallard

v t e Bishops of Salisbury
see at Sherborne	see erected from Winchester St Aldhelm Forthhere Herewald Æthelmod Denefrith Wigberht Eahlstan St Heahmund Æthelheah Wulfsige Asser Æthelweard Wærstan Æthelbald Sigehelm Alfred Wulfsige II Ælfwold I Æthelsige I Wulfsige III Æthelric Æthelsige II Brithwine I Ælfmær Brithwine II St Ælfwold II Herman see united with Ramsbury and removed to Old Sarum
see at Old Sarum	united from Sherborne & Ramsbury Herman Saint Osmund Roger Henry of Sully Philip de Harcourt Josceline de Bohon Hubert Walter Herbert Poore Richard Poore see removed to New Sarum
Medieval	Richard Poore Robert de Bingham William de York Giles of Bridport Walter de la Wyle Robert Wickhampton Walter Scammel Henry Brandeston Lawrence de Awkeburne William de la Corner Nicholas Longespee Simon of Ghent Roger Martival Robert Wyvil Ralph Ergham John Waltham Richard Mitford Nicholas Bubwith Robert Hallam John Chandler Robert Neville William Ayscough Richard Beauchamp Lionel Woodville Thomas Langton John Blyth Henry Deane
Early modern	Edmund Audley Lorenzo Campeggio Nicholas Shaxton John Capon Gasparo Contarini William Petow Francis Mallet John Jewel Edmund Gheast John Piers John Coldwell Henry Cotton Robert Abbot Martin Fotherby Robert Tounson John Davenant Brian Duppa Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Brian Duppa Humphrey Henchman John Earle Alexander Hyde Seth Ward Gilbert Burnet William Talbot Richard Willis Benjamin Hoadly Thomas Sherlock John Gilbert John Thomas (I) Robert Hay Drummond John Thomas (II) John Hume Shute Barrington John Douglas
Late modern	John Fisher Thomas Burgess Edward Denison Walter Kerr Hamilton George Moberly John Wordsworth Frederick Ridgeway St Clair Donaldson Neville Lovett Geoffrey Lunt William Anderson Joe Fison George Reindorp John Baker David Stancliffe Nick Holtam Stephen Lake

v t e Bishops and Archbishops of York
Pre-Reformation bishops	Paulinus Chad Wilfrid Bosa John of Beverley Wilfrid II
Pre-Reformation archbishops	Egbert Æthelbert Eanbald I Eanbald II Wulfsige Wigmund Wulfhere Æthelbald Hrotheweard Wulfstan I Oscytel Edwald Oswald Ealdwulf Wulfstan II Ælfric Puttoc Cynesige Ealdred Thomas of Bayeux Gerard Thomas II Thurstan William FitzHerbert Henry Murdac William FitzHerbert Roger de Pont L'Évêque Geoffrey Plantagenet Simon Langton Walter de Gray Sewal de Bovil Godfrey Ludham William Langton Bonaventure Walter Giffard William de Wickwane John le Romeyn Henry of Newark Thomas of Corbridge William Greenfield William Melton William Zouche John of Thoresby Alexander Neville Thomas Arundel Robert Waldby Richard le Scrope Thomas Langley Robert Hallam Henry Bowet Philip Morgan Richard Fleming John Kemp William Booth George Neville Lawrence Booth Thomas Rotherham Thomas Savage Christopher Bainbridge Thomas Wolsey
Post-Reformation archbishops	Edward Lee Robert Holgate Nicholas Heath Thomas Young Edmund Grindal Edwin Sandys John Piers Matthew Hutton Tobias Matthew George Montaigne Samuel Harsnett Richard Neile John Williams Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Accepted Frewen Richard Sterne John Dolben Thomas Lamplugh John Sharp Sir William Dawes Bt Lancelot Blackburne Thomas Herring Matthew Hutton John Gilbert Robert Hay Drummond William Markham Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt Thomas Musgrave Charles Longley William Thomson William Connor Magee William Maclagan Cosmo Lang William Temple Cyril Garbett Michael Ramsey Donald Coggan Stuart Blanch John Habgood David Hope John Sentamu Paul Ferguson (acting diocesan) Stephen Cottrell

v t e Clerks of the Closet
17th century	Richard Neile William Juxon Matthew Wren Richard Steward Gilbert Sheldon John Earle John Dolben Walter Blandford Nathaniel Crew Thomas Sprat Sir Edward Petre John Tillotson Thomas Burnet John Montagu
18th century	William Graham Samuel Pratt Charles Trimnell Richard Willis Henry Egerton Joseph Butler John Gilbert John Thomas William Buller Richard Hurd
19th century	William Jackson George Pelham Robert Carr Edward Stanley John Graham Henry Philpott Randall Davidson
Since 1900	William Boyd Carpenter Hubert Burge Thomas Strong Cyril Garbett Percy Herbert Roger Wilson Gordon Fallows John Bickersteth John Waine Jonathan Bailey Christopher Hill James Newcome Richard Jackson