Wentworth Webster (16 June 1828 – 2 April 1907) was an Anglican clergyman, scholar, and collector of folk tales of the Basque Country.

Biography

After studying in a private school in Brighton, he entered Lincoln College, Oxford at the age of 21 and graduated in 1852. In 1854, he started as a deacon in the parish of Cloford,

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

. Though his fragile health delayed his ordination, he became a priest in 1861. He was then allowed to exercise his ministry to the English residents in France. He had previously traveled to

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, Switzerland, the

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

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, and

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. From 1862 to 1863, he traveled to

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before settling in southwest France. He was a tutor in the commune of Bagneres-de-Bigorre where he met his future wife. Eventually, he served as the first chaplain of the new anglican church established in

Saint-Jean-de-Luz Saint-Jean-de-Luz (; eu, Donibane Lohitzune,Donibane Lohitzune
Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

. During his stay, he collected traditional Basque tales from the local people. With the help of Basque scholar Julien Vinson, he published these stories in the first edition of his ''Basque Legends'' in 1877. Webster regularly published books including a book on

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

entitled ''Spain''. In 1882, he resigned from his position at the parish of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and settled in Sare in the heart of Labourd. He continued to write religious and erudite articles on the Basque Country for both

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

magazines and regional ones. He often traveled to the neighboring countries where he met many of his friends, including

Antoine d'Abbadie Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie d'Arrast (3 January 1810 – 19 March 1897) was an Irish-born French explorer, geographer, ethnologist, linguist and astronomer notable for his travels in EthiopiaAlthough referred to as Ethiopia here, the region that ...

. He also received many visitors including

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...

, the British

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

at the time. In 1901, he wrote ''Les Loisirs d'un étranger en Pays basque''. In March 1907, King

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...

went to Sare to attend a game of

Basque pelota Basque pelota ( Basque: '' pilota'', Spanish: '' pelota vasca'', French: '' pelote basque'') is the name for a variety of court sports played with a ball using one's hand, a racket, a wooden bat or a basket, against a wall (''frontis or fronto ...

played in his honor. However, Webster, too weakened by illness, was not able to greet the king. Wentworth Webster died on 2 April 1907 while drafting an article on the Basque Country for the ''

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''.

Works

*''Basque Legends'', London, Griffith and Farran, 1877. *''Spain'', Foreign Countries and British Colonies collection, Simpson Low, London, 1882. *''Grammaire cantabrique basque par Pierre d'Urte (1712)'', published by Wentworth Webster, Bagnères-de-Bigorre, 1900. *''Les Loisirs d'un étranger au Pays basque'', Châlons-sur-Saöne, Imprimerie française et orientale E. Bertrand, 1901.

Sources

*"Wentworth Webster (1828-1907)", by Philippe Veyrin, in Wentworth Webster, ''Légendes Basques'', Anglet, Éditions Aubéron, 2005

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Webster, Wentworth Basque-language scholars Folklorists 1828 births 1907 deaths People from Uxbridge