George Leo Haydock

George Leo Haydock

Priest and Biblical scholar; b. 11 April, 1774, at Cottam, near Wood Plumpton, Lancashire; d. 29 Nov, 1849, at Penrith, Cumberland. At an early age he was placed in a school kept by the Rev. Robert Banister at Mowbreck Hall, near Kirkham, and in 1785 entered the English College of Douai. In the beginning of the French Revolution he escaped from Douai, August, 1793, in company with his brother Thomas and one of the minor professors. He stayed for a short while at Old Hall Green, near Ware, Hertfordshire, but went to his home at the Tagg on 3 November, 1794, where he remained until January, 1796, when he rejoined some of his Douai companions in the college at Crook Hall, Durham. After being ordained priest on 22 September, 1798, he held the offices of general prefect and master of all the schools under poetry till 26 January, 1803, Receiving 5 pounds (25 dollars) for his five years' work. Next he took charge of the poor mission at Ugthorpe, Yorkshire, and in July, 1816, the mission of Whitby, whence he was removed on 22 September, 1830, to the mission at Westby Hall, Lancashire, owing to a misunderstanding with his superiors. On 19 August, 1831, he was forbidden to say Mass by Bishop Penswick, whereupon he retired for the succeeding eight years to the Tagg, devoting himself to study. In 1832 he twice appealed to the Propaganda, but both his letters were intercepted and sent to the bishop; after his third appeal in 1838, his faculties were restored on 18 November, 1839, and he was appointed to the mission at Penrith where he spent his last ten years. Father Haydock's chief publication was a new edition of the English translation of the Latin Vulgate first published at Reims in 1582, and at Douai in 1609; Bishop Challoner's text of 1750 was the basis of the work, but in the New Testament Dr. Troy's edition of 1794 is largely followed. The notes are partly original, partly selected from other writers, those on the New Testament not having been compiled by Father Haydock. The edition appeared in Manchester, 1812-14; Dublin, 1812-13; Edinburgh and Dublin, 1845-8; New York, 1852-6. The other works published by Father Haydock are: "The Tree of Life; or the One Church of God from Adam until the 19th or 58th century" (Manchester, 1809); "Prayers before and after Mass proper for Country Congregations" (York, 1822); "A Key to the Roman Catholic Office" (Whitby, 1823); "A Collection of Catholic Hymns" (York, 1823); "Method of Sanctifying the Sabbath Days" (York, 1824). Besides his published books, Father Haydock left a number of works in manuscript, five volumes of "Douay Dictates"; four volumes of "Psalms and Canticles in the Roman Office"; several volumes of "Biblical Disquisitions"; a treatise on "The Various Points of Difference between the Roman and the Anglo-Catholic Churches"; etc. The pecuniary risks of the press deterred him from publishing these works.

GILLOW, Bibl. Dict. of Eng. Cath. (London and New York, 1888), s.v.; COOPER in Dict. Nat. Biog., s.v.; see also GILLOW, Haydock Papers; COTTON, Rhemes and Douay, 406; WHITTLE, Preston, II, 336; HARDWICK, Preston, 656; SUTTON, Lancashire Authors.

A.J. MAAS