Saint John Southworth was born in Lancashire in 1592 and was martyred at Tyburn, 28th June, 1654. John Southworth was a member of a junior branch of the Southworths of Samlesbury Hall, Blackburn, Lancashire. He was ordained as a priest at the English College, Douai, and was sent on the mission on the 13th October, 1619. He was arrested and condemned to death in Lancashire in 1627, and imprisoned firstly in Lancaster Castle, and afterwards in the Clink, London, where he and fifteen other priests were, on the 11th April, 1630, delivered to the French Ambassador for transportation abroad. In 1636 he had been released from the Gatehouse, Westminster, London and was living at Clerkenwell, but he would frequently visit the plague-stricken dwellings of Westminster to convert the dying. In 1637 he seems to have taken up his home in Westminster, where he was arrested on the 28th November, and again sent to the Gatehouse. He was again transferred to the Clink and in 1640 was brought before the Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical, who sent him back there on the 24th June. On the 16th July he was again liberated, but by the 2nd December he was again in the Gatehouse. After his final apprehension he was tried at the Old Bailey, and as he insisted on pleading "guilty" to being a priest, he was condemned by the Recorder of London. He was allowed to make a long speech at the gallows, and his remains were permitted to pass into the possession of the Duke of Norfolk's family, who had them sent to the English College at Douai. Then In 1970, John Southworth was canonised by Pope Paul VI among the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, whose joint feast day is kept on the 25th October. The relics of the Saint's body, hidden during the French Revolution, were rediscovered in 1927, and brought back to England, where they are enshrined in Westminster Cathedral.
Saint John Southworth was born in Lancashire in 1592 and was martyred at Tyburn, 28th June, 1654. John Southworth was a member of a junior branch of the Southworths of Samlesbury Hall, Blackburn, Lancashire. He was ordained as a priest at the English College, Douai, and was sent on the mission on the 13th October, 1619. He was arrested and condemned to death in Lancashire in 1627, and imprisoned firstly in Lancaster Castle, and afterwards in the Clink, London, where he and fifteen other priests were, on the 11th April, 1630, delivered to the French Ambassador for transportation abroad. In 1636 he had been released from the Gatehouse, Westminster, London and was living at Clerkenwell, but he would frequently visit the plague-stricken dwellings of Westminster to convert the dying. In 1637 he seems to have taken up his home in Westminster, where he was arrested on the 28th November, and again sent to the Gatehouse. He was again transferred to the Clink and in 1640 was brought before the Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical, who sent him back there on the 24th June. On the 16th July he was again liberated, but by the 2nd December he was again in the Gatehouse. After his final apprehension he was tried at the Old Bailey, and as he insisted on pleading "guilty" to being a priest, he was condemned by the Recorder of London. He was allowed to make a long speech at the gallows, and his remains were permitted to pass into the possession of the Duke of Norfolk's family, who had them sent to the English College at Douai. Then In 1970, John Southworth was canonised by Pope Paul VI among the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, whose joint feast day is kept on the 25th October. The relics of the Saint's body, hidden during the French Revolution, were rediscovered in 1927, and brought back to England, where they are enshrined in Westminster Cathedral.
Bio by: Kieran Smith
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