Hannah Wood
ODNB; ACAD (Venn)
John Whitgift was likely born around 1530/1, the eldest son of Henry Whitgift and Anne Dynewell of Great Grimsby, Lincolnshire. He received his BA from Pembroke College, Cambrdige in 1554 and secured a fellowship at Peterhouse College in 1555. Despite his adherence to Protestantism during the reign of Mary I, he continued to hold this position and received his MA in 1557. He was ordained deacon at Ely on 7 July 1560, and the same year was made rector of Teversham and chaplain to the bishop of Ely. He received his BD from Peterhouse and was appointed Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity in 1563. After receiving his DD in 1567 and briefly serving as master of Pembroke (April to June 1567), he transferred to the mastership of the royal foundation at Trinity College from 1567-77; he was made Vice-Chancellor from 1570-1, and took up the post again from 1573-4. Whitfgift's time at Cambridge was dominated by various controversies, notably that surrounding the appointment of the Puritan Thomas Cartwright to the Lady Margaret chair. Whitgift was elected Dean of Lincoln in 1571 and held prebendal stalls at Nassington (Lincs.) and Lichfield Cathedral from 1571-7 and 1572-7 respectively. He left behind his career at the university in 1577 when he was made Bishop of Worcester. Already an accomplished preacher, he carried out sustained preaching efforts in his diocese against Catholic recusancy. In 1563, Whitgift was made Archbishop of Canterbury. During his time in this position, he pushed forward policies to enforce religious uniformity. He enjoyed a close relationship with Elizabeth, maintaining her confidence even as some of his policies and actions proved unpopular with her ministers and serving as a chief mourner at her funeral. He suffered a stroke and died at Lambeth on 29 February 1604 (new). His funeral took place at Croydon on 27 March 1604.