John Disney (1677-1730)
Encyclopedia
John Disney was an English
clergy
man. He was Vicar of Croft and Kirkby-on-Bain, Lincolnshire
from 1719 to 1722, and Vicar of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
from 2 October 1722 to 1729/30.
, the son of Daniel Disney
of Swinderby
. He began his education at Lincoln Grammar School
, but his parents were dissenter
s and he moved school to a private college, also in Lincoln. Despite his upbringing, he was confirmed in the Church of England
, sometime before 1698. In May of that year, he married Mary Woodhouse. He entered the Middle Temple
in order to study law, but with no intention of practising at the bar. He gained sufficient knowledge to act as a competent magistrate
and more than once was publicly complimented by the judges of the circuit for being efficient and impartial.
As a supporter of the Societies for the Reformation of Manners, he was working on a publication Corpus Legum de Moribus Reformandis shortly before his death.
Until the age of 42 he worked as a lay churchman and then he entered holy orders, encouraged by the Archbishop of Canterbury
, William Wake
, who had been bishop of Lincoln
in Disney's early days. He was ordained priest in Lincoln Cathedral
in 1719 by the bishop of Lincoln, Edmund Gibson
, and immediately took the nearby livings of Croft and Kirkby-on-Bain. He resigned in 1722 to become vicar of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
.
The story for which Disney is remembered involves the buccaneering Archbishop Blackburne
performing confirmation in St. Mary's. At the end of the proceedings, the archbishop sent out his messenger to fetch his pipe, tobacco and some ale. The messenger, returning laden up the aisle, was ejected by the Rev. John Disney with the words Neither Bishop nor Archbishop shall make a tippling house of St. Mary's so long as I am its Vicar.
that the bodies had been buried in woollen shrouds.
His writing mostly relating to the Societies for the Reformation of Manners was prolific, but he also found time to research and publish The Genealogy of the most Serene and Illustrious House of Brunswick-Lunenburgh, the present Royal Family of Great Britain in 1714.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
man. He was Vicar of Croft and Kirkby-on-Bain, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
from 1719 to 1722, and Vicar of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest religious foundation in the City of Nottingham, England, the largest church after the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the largest mediæval building in Nottingham....
from 2 October 1722 to 1729/30.
- He was the first of four John Disneys; father of John Disney of Lincoln, grandfather of John Disney (Unitarian)John Disney (Unitarian)John Disney was an English Unitarian minister and biographical writer, initially an Anglican clergyman active against subscription to the Thirty Nine Articles.-Life:...
(1746 – 1816), and great-grandfather of John DisneyJohn DisneyJohn Disney was an English barrister and archaeologist. Born at Flintham Hall, Flintham, Nottinghamshire, he was the eldest son of John Disney, a former Anglican clergyman who became one of the founders of the Episcopal Unitarian Church, and from a long line of English Dissenters going back to...
(1779 – 1857) the barrister and archaeologist.
Life
He was born in LincolnLincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, the son of Daniel Disney
Daniel Disney
Daniel Disney of Swinderby was a Non-Comformist landowner in Lincoln who was the father of John Disney , great-grandfather of John Disney and great-great-grandfather of John Disney the barrister....
of Swinderby
Swinderby
Swinderby is a settlement and civil parish in Lincolnshire, England, on the A46 road between Lincoln and Newark, within a rural agricultural community. It covers an area of , and has a population of 773....
. He began his education at Lincoln Grammar School
Lincoln Christ's Hospital School
Lincoln Christ's Hospital School is a state comprehensive school for 11-18 year olds located on Wragby Road in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.-Admissions:Its student population is just under 1400, including over 300 in the sixth form...
, but his parents were dissenter
Dissenter
The term dissenter , labels one who disagrees in matters of opinion, belief, etc. In the social and religious history of England and Wales, however, it refers particularly to a member of a religious body who has, for one reason or another, separated from the Established Church.Originally, the term...
s and he moved school to a private college, also in Lincoln. Despite his upbringing, he was confirmed in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, sometime before 1698. In May of that year, he married Mary Woodhouse. He entered the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in order to study law, but with no intention of practising at the bar. He gained sufficient knowledge to act as a competent magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
and more than once was publicly complimented by the judges of the circuit for being efficient and impartial.
As a supporter of the Societies for the Reformation of Manners, he was working on a publication Corpus Legum de Moribus Reformandis shortly before his death.
Until the age of 42 he worked as a lay churchman and then he entered holy orders, encouraged by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, William Wake
William Wake
William Wake was a priest in the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1716 until his death in 1737.-Life:...
, who had been bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
in Disney's early days. He was ordained priest in Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 249 years . The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt...
in 1719 by the bishop of Lincoln, Edmund Gibson
Edmund Gibson
Edmund Gibson was a British divine and jurist.-Early life and career:He was born in Bampton, Westmorland. In 1686 he was entered a scholar at Queen's College, Oxford...
, and immediately took the nearby livings of Croft and Kirkby-on-Bain. He resigned in 1722 to become vicar of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest religious foundation in the City of Nottingham, England, the largest church after the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the largest mediæval building in Nottingham....
.
The story for which Disney is remembered involves the buccaneering Archbishop Blackburne
Lancelot Blackburne
Lancelot Blackburne , was an English clergyman, who became Archbishop of York, and – in popular belief – a pirate....
performing confirmation in St. Mary's. At the end of the proceedings, the archbishop sent out his messenger to fetch his pipe, tobacco and some ale. The messenger, returning laden up the aisle, was ejected by the Rev. John Disney with the words Neither Bishop nor Archbishop shall make a tippling house of St. Mary's so long as I am its Vicar.
Death and legacy
Upon his death in 1729-30, he left a widow and eight children, five sons and three daughters. The entry for his death in the parish registers is followed by the abbreviation "Aff.". This was in accordance with the law passed in 1678, which demanded an affidavitAffidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
that the bodies had been buried in woollen shrouds.
His writing mostly relating to the Societies for the Reformation of Manners was prolific, but he also found time to research and publish The Genealogy of the most Serene and Illustrious House of Brunswick-Lunenburgh, the present Royal Family of Great Britain in 1714.