Born in the city of London, February 21, 1801, son of Mr. John Newman (of the banking firm of Ramsbottom, Newman & Co.) and of Jemima Fourdrinier, his wife.
Went at an early age to Dr. Nicholas's school at Ealing, to the head of which he rapidly rose. Thence to Trinity College, Oxford, graduating in 1820.
In 1823 was elected to a Fellowship at Oriel.
In 1824 took Anglican orders and became curate of St. Clements, Oxford.
In 1828 was appointed vicar of St. Mary the Virgin, Oxford, with the outlying chaplaincy of Littlemore.
In 1832 finishedHistory of the Ariansand went abroad. Made acquaintance with Dr. Wiseman in Rome; seized with fever in Sicily, but said, "I shall not die—I have a work to do in England"; returning homewards in an orange-boat bound for Marseilles, and within sight of Garibaldi's home at Caprera, wrote "Lead, Kindly Light."
On July 13, 1833, the Sunday after his return home, the Oxford movement was begun by Keble's sermon on National Apostasy. The issue ofTracts for the Timesimmediately followed; and in 1843 Mr. Newman published a volume ofParochial Sermons, to be followed byUniversity SermonsandSermons on Holy Days.
In 1841 the Vice-Chancellor and heads of houses at Oxford censured Mr. Newman's Tract XC.
In 1843 he resigned St. Mary's.
On October 9, 1845, was received into the Catholic Church at Littlemore by Father Dominic.
On November 1, 1845, was confirmed at Oscott by Cardinal Wiseman.
On October 28, 1846, arrived in Rome, and, after a short period of study, was ordained priest.
On Christmas Eve, 1847, he returned to England from Rome, to found the community of St. Philip de Neri.
In January, 1849, part of the Oratorian Community settled in Birmingham.
In 1849 took up temporary residence at Bilston, to nurse the poor during a visitation of cholera.
In April, 1849, founded the London Oratory, with Father Faber as rector.
On June 21, 1852, the case of Achilli against Dr. Newman came on for trial before Lord Campbell, and, after several days' duration, resulted in a verdict of "guilty," Dr. Newman being unjustly sentenced to a fine and mulcted in enormous costs. The Rev. John Joseph Gordon, to whom "The Dream of Gerontius" is dedicated, was of great assistance to Newman at this time.
In 1854 went to Dublin as rector of the newly founded Irish Catholic University, but resigned that post in 1858, and subsequently established a boys' school at Birmingham.
In 1864 Charles Kingsley made charges of untruthfulness against the Catholic clergy, which led to the writing of theApologia Pro Vita Sua.
In December, 1877, was elected an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford.
In 1865 he printed "The Dream of Gerontius."
In 1879 created Cardinal Deacon of the Holy Roman Church by Leo XIII.
On Monday, August 11, 1890, died at the Oratory, Edgbaston, Birmingham, England.