ODNB (Article: 4821); AO (Foster); Hannah Yip.
ODNB (Article: 4821); AO (Foster)
Thomas Cartwright was born in Northampton on 1 September 1634. After attending Northampton Grammar School, he matriculated at Magdalen College, Oxford on 18 November 1650, graduating B.A. on 17 February 1653 and proceeding M.A. on 21 June 1655. He was awarded D.D. on 12 September 1661. Cartwright held several positions before being appointed Bishop of Chester in 1686; namely, vicar of Walthamstow (1657), preacher at St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street, London (1665), canon-prebendary of Wells Cathedral (1660), vicar of Barking (1660-1689), chaplain to King Charles II (1672), and dean of Ripon (1676). He also published several sermons delivered before notable auditors such as King Charles II and the daughter of the Duke of York, Princess Anne. A supporter of James II, he fled the country in 1688 as William of Orange approached, followed James to Ireland, and died there on 15 April 1689. Cartwright was buried at Christ Church, Dublin. His diary is deposited at the British Library (BL Add MS 24357).