Wicksteed, Philip Henry (1844–1927)

Abstract

Wicksteed was born in October 1844 in Leeds, where his father, Charles Wicksteed, was a Unitarian minister. He died, at the age of 83, in March 1927, at Childrey in Berkshire. He attended Ruthin Grammar School in North Wales and then University College School, London, before studying at University College London (1861–1864) and at Manchester New College (1864–1867) in Gordon Square nearby. He received his Master’s degree, with a gold medal for classics, in 1867. Wicksteed then became a Unitarian minister, first at Taunton in Somerset (1867–1869), then at Dukinfield, east of Manchester (1870–1874), and finally at Little Portland Street Chapel, London (1874–1897). He left the ministry in 1897 and thereafter earned his living by writing and lecturing. From 1887 to 1918 Wicksteed was a most active University Extension Lecturer, lecturing on Wordsworth, Dante, Greek tragedy, Aristotle and Aquinas – and economics. He never held a university post.