Winefred Wigmore (1585-1657) was an English Roman Catholic nun and teacher, a friend and biographer of
Mary Ward Mary Ward may refer to:
Scientists and academics
* Mary Ward (nurse) (1884–1972) English nurse to the boat people on the waterways
* Mary Ward (scientist) (née King, 1827–1869) Irish amateur scientist, was killed by an experimental steam car ...
.
Life
Winefred Wigmore was born at
Lucton
Lucton is a village near the town of Leominster in the county of Herefordshire
Herefordshire () is a county in the West Midlands of England, governed by Herefordshire Council. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to ...
, one of twelve children born to Sir William Wigmore and Anne Throckmorton. Three of her brothers, including
William Wigmore, became Jesuits. She met Mary Ward in 1605, and lived with her in London on Ward's return to England in 1609. She remained "Mary Ward's close friend and loyal companion until Mary's death", helping found the
Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1622–23 Wigmore became headmistress of schools established in
Rome and then
Naples, and in 1624 she was appointed superior in Naples. In 1630 Ward sent Wigmore to deal with the foundation at
Liège
Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège.
The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...
, who were unhappy with Ward. Wigmore's loyalty to Ward led to her deposing the Liège superior, Mary Copley, and the rift gave ammunition to the Institute's detractors in the papal court. Though the pope suppressed the Institute in 1631, and Wigmore was briefly imprisoned, the 'English ladies' kept up discreet communal life in
Munich and
Rome. Wigmore stayed in Rome with Ward, acting as her novice mistress, secretary, and nurse. She accompanied Ward to England in 1637, living with her in London and
Heworth until Ward's death in 1645.
After Ward's death, Wigmore and
Mary Poyntz continued the Institute.
The
execution of Charles I made it dangerous to continue living in England, and in 1650 Institute members relocated to Paris under the leadership of Barbara Babthorpe. Wigmore was headmistress of a school of English girls there. She died in April 1657, and was buried in the cemetery of the Benedictine nuns.
[
Ward and Poyntz composed Ward's first biography, the ''Briefe relation''. Manuscript copies exist in both ]French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
and English.
Works
* (with Mary Poyntz) ''A briefe relation of the holy life & happy death of our dearest mother, of blessed memory, Mrs. Mary Ward''
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wigmore, Winefred
1585 births
1657 deaths
17th-century English Roman Catholic nuns
People from Herefordshire