Weld, Thomas
WELD, THOMAS
Cardinal; b. London, Jan. 22, 1773; d. Rome, April 19, 1837. He was the son of Thomas Weld of Lullworth Castle, Dorset, head of an ancient Catholic family. The Welds offered shelter to members of religious orders, emigrés of the french revolution, gave homes to communities of Cistercian and Poor Clare nuns, and presented their house at Stonyhurst to the Jesuits. Weld married in 1796, but after the death of his wife (1815) and his daughter's marriage (1818), he made over his estates to his brother, was ordained by the archbishop of Paris (1821), and served in London until 1826, when he was consecrated as coadjutor to the bishop of Kingston, Canada. Poor health kept him in London, however, and led him to move to Italy where he was created cardinal (1830). Weld advised the pope on matters relating to England but otherwise took little part in the affairs of the Sacred College.
Bibliography: c. s. isaacson, The Story of the English Cardinals (London 1907) j. gillow, A Literary and Biographical History or Bibliographical Dictionary of the English Catholics from 1534 to the Present Time, 5 v. (London–New York 1885–1902; repr. New York 1961) 5:576. t. cooper, The Dictionary of National Biography from the Earliest Times to 1900, 63 v. (London 1885–1900; repr. with corrections, 21 v., 1908–09, 1921–22, 1938; suppl. 1901–) 20:1072–73.
[b. fothergill]