William Preston (bishop) facts for kids
William Preston was an important Irish bishop who lived from 1729 to 1789. A bishop is a high-ranking leader in some Christian churches, like the Anglican Church, which is a bit like a manager for a group of churches in a certain area.
William Preston's Journey
William Preston had an interesting life, moving from studying at a famous university to serving as a diplomat and then becoming a bishop.
Early Life and Education
William Preston was born in 1729. His father was John Preston, and they lived in a place called Hincaster in Westmorland, England. William went to Heversham Grammar School, which was a school for boys.
When he was 19, in 1749, he started studying at Trinity College, Cambridge, a very old and famous university in England. He was a "sizar" there, which meant he received financial help with his studies, often in exchange for doing some duties at the college. He earned his first degree in 1753 and a master's degree in 1756. He even became a "Fellow" at Trinity College in 1755, which is like being a senior academic or researcher there. He later became a rector (a type of priest) in Ockham, Surrey, from 1764 to 1784.
Working as a Diplomat
After his university days, William Preston worked as a chaplain for Philip Yonge, who was the bishop of Norwich. A chaplain is like a personal priest or spiritual advisor.
Later, he traveled to Vienna, a big city in Austria, to be a chaplain for Lord Stormont, who was an important British official there. William Preston also spent time in Naples, Italy, for his health. While there, he even acted as the British chargé d'affaires. This means he was temporarily in charge of the British embassy (like an ambassador's office) when the main ambassador, Sir William Hamilton, was away.
Because of his important work and knowledge, he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Society in 1778. The Royal Society is a very old and respected group of scientists and thinkers in the United Kingdom.
Becoming a Bishop
William Preston became a chaplain and secretary for Charles Manners, the Duke of Rutland. This was an important connection that helped him in his career.
In 1784, he was chosen to become the Bishop of Killala and Achonry, two areas in Ireland. He officially became a bishop on November 11th of that year. Later, in 1787, he was moved to become the Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin, which were other areas in Ireland.
William Preston passed away in Dublin, Ireland, on April 19, 1789. He was buried at Ferns Cathedral.
