| Admin_History | Fr Benjamin Winterborn SJ was born on 13 August 1913 in Sussex. He was educated at Stonyhurst, entering the novitiate there 7 September 1932, before taking on further studies at Heythrop and Campion Hall, Oxford, where he gained a First in Modern History. He returned to Heythrop in 1943 for theology, and was appointed to St Michael’s College, Leeds, in 1945. The following year he was ordained on 11 September 1946. He stayed at St Michael’s until 1955, although also carrying out his tertianship at St Beuno’s during this period. Unfortunately around this time, he developed a blood disease which would continue to affect him for the rest of his life, and so he was given a lighter posting in the parish of Wimbledon.
He remained there until 1958, where he was appointed chaplain to the Catholics of Manchester University. He spent 10 years in this posting and was thought of highly, and upon giving up the position to become Delegate to the Southern Region for Fr Provincial, he was awarded an honourary master’s degree from the university for his services. This was a new, experimental position in the Society, which he took up at Mount Street. The experiment did not prove fruitful, and in 1971 he was appointed Rector of St Ignatius’ College, Enfield, for less than two years, before becoming Master of Campion Hall in 1972. He remained here until 1978 when ill health forced his resignation. The rest of his life was spent largely at Southwell House as well as being in and out of hospital fighting his blood disease. He died on 7 December 1980. |