Matthew Atkinson
British priest
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The basics
Quick Facts
| Intro | British priest | |
| A.K.A. | Paul Atkinson Paul of St Francis | |
| A.K.A. | Paul Atkinson Paul of St Francis | |
| Places | United Kingdom Great Britain | |
| was | Priest | |
| Work field | Religion | |
| Gender |
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| Religion: | Catholic church | |
| Birth | 1656 | |
| Death | 1729 (aged 73 years) |
The details
Biography
Paul Atkinson (c. 1655 – 15 October 1729), born Matthew Atkinson, was an English Roman Catholic priest of the 17th and 18th Centuries, which were the penal times in the English Church. He is viewed as a martyr, dying in prison for his Catholic activities.
Life
He was born in Yorkshire. He joined the English Franciscan institution, Douai Abbey in 1673, and then became a Catholic missionary in England for twelve years, after this he was betrayed by a maidservant for a £100 reward.
On 26 September 1700 he was convicted and condemned to perpetual imprisonment due to his status as a Catholic priest. One governor of his prison, Hurst Castle on the Solent, allowed him to walk outside of the prison; but complaint was made of this and the leave was revoked. He died in prison in 1729 after nearly thirty years. He was buried in Winchester's Roman Catholic Cemetery.