Morris, John Brande, b. at Brentford, Middlesex, 4 September, 1812; d. at Hammersmith, London, 9 April, 1880; he studied at Baliol College, Oxford, graduating in 1834 (B.A. honours) and 1837 (M.A.). He was at once elected Petrean Fellow of Exeter College, and lectured on Hebrew. His favourite field of study was Eastern and patristic theology. While at Oxford he wrote an “Essay towards the Conversion of learned and Philosophical Hindus” (1843); a poem entitled “Nature: a Parable” (1842); and translated “Select Homilies from St. Ephraem” from the Syriac (1846), likewise St. Chrysostom’s “Homilies on the Romans” (1841) for the “Library of the Fathers”. Having joined the Tractarian Movement, he was received into the Church, 16 January, 1846, resigning his Oxford fellowship a few days later. He was ordained at Oscott in 1851 and in the same year was appointed professor at Prior Park, near Bath. He soon began parish work and for the next nineteen years ministered in Plymouth, Shortwood (Somersetshire), and other parts of England. He was for a time chaplain to Sir John Acton and Coventry Patmore. In 1870 he became spiritual director of the Sceurs de
Miséricorde, Hammersmith, which post he occupied till his death. After his conversion he contributed to the “Dublin Review”, the “Lamp” and other Catholic periodicals; and wrote “Jesus the Son of Mary” (1851), a treatise on the Incarnation and devotion to Our Lady; “Taleetha Koomee” (1858), a metrical religious drama; and “Eucharist on Calvary”, an essay on the first Mass and the Passion.
Tablet (17 April, 1880); Times (12 April, 1880); GILLOW, Dict. Biog. of Eng. Cath., s. v. . A. MacHRuran.