Born in Winchester as the younger son of Samuel Wilberforce (and therefore grandson of famed abolitionist William Wilberforce. His elder brother Ernest became Bishop of Newcastle then of Chichester), he was educated at Eton College and Exeter College, Oxford and ordained in 1866.
Exeter College; Winchester College.
He was chaplain to the Bishop of Oxford and then held curacies at Cuddesdon, Seaton and Southsea. He was Rector of Saint Mary"s, Southampton from 1871 to 1894, and an Honorary Canon of Winchester. In April 1894 he was appointed Canon of Westminster Abbey and Rector of the parish church of Street John the Evangelist, annexed to Westminster.
He was appointed Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons in 1896 and Archdeacon of Westminster in 1900.
He met "Abdu"l-Baha in 1911. He died in post on 13 May 1916.
He was 75.
