Warrington Academy
Encyclopedia
Warrington Academy, active as a teaching establishment from 1756 to 1782, was a prominent dissenting academy
Dissenting academies
The dissenting academies were schools, colleges and nonconformist seminaries run by dissenters. They formed a significant part of England’s educational systems from the mid-seventeenth to nineteenth centuries....

, that is, a school or college set up by those who dissented from the state church in England
English Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....

. It was located in Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...

 (then part of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...

, now within Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...

), effectively moved to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

 where Manchester New College was its successor institution, and led in time to the formation of Harris Manchester College, Oxford
Harris Manchester College, Oxford
Harris Manchester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Formerly known as Manchester College, it is listed in the University Statutes as Manchester Academy and Harris College, and at University ceremonies it is called Collegium de Harris et...

.

History

It was called "the cradle of Unitarianism" by Arthur Aikin Brodribb writing in the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...

, who went on to say that it "formed during the twenty-nine years of its existence the centre of the liberal politics and the literary taste of the county of Lancashire". It was planned in 1753, to replace other training schools in northern England having funding from the English Presbyterians
English Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism in England is distinct from Continental and Scottish forms of Presbyterianism. Whereas in Scotland, church government is based on a meeting of delegates, in England the individual congregation is the primary body of government...

: Caleb Rotheram
Caleb Rotheram
-Life:He was born on 7 March 1694 at Great Salkeld, Cumberland. He was educated at the grammar school of Great Blencow, Cumberland, under Anthony Ireland, and prepared for the Presbyterian ministry in the academy of Thomas Dixon at Whitehaven...

 of the Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...

 academy died in 1752, and Ebenezer Latham of the Findern
Findern
Findern is a village in south Derbyshire. Although a railway runs through it, there is no station, the nearest stations are Willington, Pear Tree and Derby...

 and Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...

 academy in 1754. It was not, however, formally constituted till June 1757, when funds had been raised by John Seddon of Warrington
John Seddon of Warrington
-Life:The son of Peter Seddon, dissenting minister successively at Ormskirk and Hereford, he was born at Hereford on 8 December 1725. The Unitarian John Seddon , with whom he has often been confused, is said to have been a second cousin...

. The first site was the Cairo Street Chapel; subsequently the building was a large red brick house.

Three tutors were chosen initially: John Taylor, of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...

, taught divinity
Divinity (academic discipline)
Divinity is the study of Christian and other theology and ministry at a school, divinity school, university, or seminary. The term is sometimes a synonym for theology as an academic, speculative pursuit, and sometimes is used for the study of applied theology and ministry to make a distinction...

; Mr. Holt, of Kirkdale
Kirkdale
Kirkdale is the name of several places in the United Kingdom:*Kirkdale, Merseyside, an area of Liverpool, England**Kirkdale **Kirkdale *Kirkdale, North Yorkshire, England...

, natural philosophy
Natural philosophy
Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature , is a term applied to the study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science...

; and John Aikin
John Aikin (Unitarian)
John Aikin was an English Unitarian scholar and theological tutor, closely associated with Warrington Academy, a prominent dissenting academy.-Life:...

, classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...

. Henry Willoughby, 13th Baron Willoughby of Parham
Baron Willoughby of Parham
Baron Willoughby of Parham was a title in the Peerage of England with two creations. The first creation was for Sir William Willoughby who was raised to the peerage under letters patent in 1547, with the remainder to his heirs male of body...

, was the first president of the academy. Soon a fourth tutor was appointed. On the death of Dr. Taylor, in 1761, Aikin became tutor in divinity, and was succeeded in his old duties by Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...

. Among the other tutors who at some point joined the staff of the academy were Reinhold Forster, William Enfield
William Enfield
William Enfield was a British Unitarian minister who published a bestselling book on elocution entitled The Speaker .-Life:...

, George Walker
George Walker (Presbyterian)
George Walker was a versatile English dissenter, known as a mathematician, theologian, Fellow of the Royal Society, and activist.-Life:...

, Nicholas Clayton
Nicholas Clayton (divine)
Nicholas Clayton, D.D. was an English presbyterian minister and divine.-Life:Clayton was the son of Samuel Clayton of Old Park, Enfield, Middlesex, and was born about 1733...

, and Gilbert Wakefield
Gilbert Wakefield
Gilbert Wakefield was an English scholar and controversialist.Gilbert Wakefield was the third son of the Rev. George Wakefield, then rector of St Nicholas' Church, Nottingham but afterwards at Kingston-upon-Thames. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. as second...

.

The Academy hit difficulties, with falling rolls and financial problems leading to its closure in 1782. The disciplinary issues, coupled with unsettled debates over the principles of education, had led to a loss of confidence from the direction of the financial backers. It was formally dissolved in 1786, with the funds being divided in application to the successor Manchester Academy
Harris Manchester College, Oxford
Harris Manchester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Formerly known as Manchester College, it is listed in the University Statutes as Manchester Academy and Harris College, and at University ceremonies it is called Collegium de Harris et...

 and the New College at Hackney
New College at Hackney
The New College at Hackney was a dissenting academy set up in Hackney, at that time a village on the outskirts of London, by Unitarians. It was in existence from 1786 to 1796...

, after a plan to amalgamate with the Daventry Academy
Daventry Academy
Daventry Academy was a dissenting academy, that is, a school or college set up by English Dissenters. It moved to many locations, but was most associated with Daventry, where its most famous pupil was Joseph Priestley...

 of Thomas Belsham
Thomas Belsham
Thomas Belsham was an English Unitarian minister- Life :Belsham was born in Bedford, England, and was the elder brother of William Belsham, the English political writer and historian. He was educated at the dissenting academy at Daventry, where for seven years he acted as assistant tutor...

 had come to nothing.

Alumni, staff, supporters

When the academy was dissolved in 1786, 393 pupils, many of whom entered the legal and medical professions, had been on the books.

People associated with it include:

Students
  • Thomas Barnes
    Thomas Barnes (Unitarian)
    Thomas Barnes was an English Unitarian minister and educational reformer.-Life:He was the son of William Barnes, of Warrington. His mother was Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. Thomas Blinston, of Wigan. He was born on 13 February 1747, and he lost his father when he was in his third year...

  • John Prior Estlin
    John Prior Estlin
    John Prior Estlin was an English Unitarian minister, noted as a teacher and for his connections in literary circles.-Life:He was born at Hinckley, Leicestershire, 9 April 1747, was the son of Thomas Estlin, hosier, by his wife, née Prior. His education was undertaken by his mother's brother, the...

  • John Goodricke
    John Goodricke
    John Goodricke FRS was an eminent and profoundly deaf amateur astronomer. He is best known for his observations of the variable star Algol in 1782.- Life and work :...

  • Samuel Heywood
    Samuel Heywood (chief justice)
    Samuel Heywood was a Serjeant-at-law and a Chief Justice of the Carmarthen Circuit of Wales.Heywood was born in Liverpool, Lancashire to Benjamin and Phoebe Heywood, née Ogden...

  • Thomas Malthus
    Thomas Malthus
    The Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus FRS was an English scholar, influential in political economy and demography. Malthus popularized the economic theory of rent....

  • Thomas Percival
    Thomas Percival
    Thomas Percival FRS FRSE FSA was an English physician and author, best known for crafting perhaps the first modern code of medical ethics...

  • John Simpson (Unitarian)
    John Simpson (Unitarian)
    John Simpson was an English Unitarian minister and religious writer, known as a biblical critic. Some of his essays were very well known in the nineteenth century....



Staff
In addition to those mentioned above:
  • Joseph Priestley
    Joseph Priestley
    Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...

  • Gilbert Wakefield
    Gilbert Wakefield
    Gilbert Wakefield was an English scholar and controversialist.Gilbert Wakefield was the third son of the Rev. George Wakefield, then rector of St Nicholas' Church, Nottingham but afterwards at Kingston-upon-Thames. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. as second...

  • Anna Laetitia Barbauld
    Anna Laetitia Barbauld
    Anna Laetitia Barbauld was a prominent English poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, and children's author.A "woman of letters" who published in multiple genres, Barbauld had a successful writing career at a time when female professional writers were rare...

     and her brother John Aikin
    John Aikin
    John Aikin was an English doctor and writer.-Life:He was born at Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, England, son of Dr. John Aikin, Unitarian divine, and received his elementary education at the Nonconformist academy at Warrington, where his father was a tutor. He studied medicine at the...

     were the children of the tutor John Aikin


Financial supporters
  • Thomas Bentley
    Thomas Bentley (manufacturer)
    Thomas Bentley was an English manufacturer of porcelain, known for his partnership with Josiah Wedgwood.-Life:He was born at Scropton, Derbyshire, on 1 January 1731. His father, Thomas Bentley, was a country gentleman of some property...

    , Trustee
  • William Russell
    William Russell (merchant)
    William Russell , Birmingham merchant, was a practical Christian, a practising Unitarian Dissenter, and a close friend and sponsor of Joseph Priestley...


External links

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