Thomas Edward Bridgett (20 January 1829–1899) was an English priest and historical writer, born at Derby. He was brought up a Baptist, but in his sixteenth year, while at Tonbridge School, joined the Church of England. In 1847 he entered St John's College, Cambridge, with the intention of taking orders.[1] Being unable to subscribe to the Thirty-Nine Articles he could not take his degree,[2] and in 1850 became a Roman Catholic, soon afterwards joining the Congregation of the Redemptorists. He went through his novitiate at Sint-Truiden in Belgium, and after a course of five years of theological study at Wittem, in Holland, was ordained priest.
Bridgett returned to England in 1856, and for over forty years led an active life as a missioner in England and Ireland, preaching in over 80 missions and 140 retreats to the clergy and to nuns. His stay in Limerick was particularly successful, and he founded a religious confraternity of laymen which numbered 5000 members. Despite his arduous life as a priest, Bridgett found time to produce literary works of value, chiefly dealing with the history of the English Reformation; among these are The Life of Blessed John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester (1888); The Life and Writings of Sir Thomas More (1890); History of the Eucharist in Great Britain (2 vols., 1881); Our Lady's Dowry (1875, 3rd ed. 1890). He died at Clapham on the 17th of February 1899.
For a complete list of Bridgett's works see The Life of Father Bridgett, by C. Ryder (London, 1906).
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.