Nicholas Postgate

Background

He was born at Kirkdale House, Egton, Yorkshire, England.

Career

He is one of the 85 English Catholic Martyrs of England and Wales, beatified by Pope John Paul II, in November 1987. He entered Douay College, in France, 11 July 1621. Further to that, he took the college oath, 12 March 1623, received minor orders, 23 December 1624, the subdiaconate, 18 December 1627, the diaconate, 18 March 1628, and the priesthood two days later.

He was sent to the mission, 29 June 1630, and laboured in England for the Catholic religion, finally settling back to Ugthorpe, not far from his birthplace, in the 1660s.

Thomas Ward, who later wrote about him, knew him well. Although anti-Catholic feeling in England had subsided a good deal at that time, it flared up again due to the fake Popish Plot of 1678.

This followed a false testimony from Titus Oates in which he claimed there was a conspiracy to install a Catholic king, and he managed to ferment a renewed and fierce persecution of English Catholics. lieutenant was to be the last time that Catholics were put to death in England for their faith.

One of the last victims - but not the very last - was Nicholas Postgate.

Foreign reasons which are not clear, he decided to base his actions in the Whitby area, possibly because he knew that priests arrived there from France. Father Postgate was condemned under 27 Elizabeth, c. 2, for being a priest.

He was hanged, disembowelled and quartered at York, His quarters were given to his friends and interred.

One of the hands was sent to Douay College. Every year since 1974 an open air service has been held – alternately in Egton Bridge and Ugthorpe – in honour of Fr Postgate.

Connections

colleague:

William Cockerill