Edward Ilsley

Who was Edward Ilsley?

Edward Ilsley was an English prelate who served in the Roman Catholic Church in England as the first Metropolitan Archbishop of Birmingham, having previously been the second Diocesan Bishop of Birmingham.

Born in Stafford, Staffordshire, England on 11 May 1838 to a recusant family, he was ordained to the priesthood on 29 June 1861. He was appointed an Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham and Titular Bishop of Fesseë on 21 November 1879. His consecration to the Episcopate took place on 4 December 1879; the principal consecrator was the Right Reverend William Bernard Ullathorne, Bishop of Birmingham, with the Right Reverend Francis Kerril Amherst, Bishop Emeritus of Northampton, and the Right Reverend Edmund Knight, Auxiliary Bishop of Shrewsbury, serving as co-consecrators. Following the retirement of Bishop William Bernard Ullathorne in January 1888, Bishop Ilsley was appointed the Diocesan Bishop of Birmingham on 15 February 1888. Ilsley became the Metropolitan Archbishop of Birmingham on 28 October 1911 when the diocese was elevated to the status of a metropolitan archdiocese.

Archbishop Ilsley retired on 15 January 1921 and was appointed Titular Archbishop of Macra on 13 June 1921.