Stockdale, Percival

Stockdale, Percival, an English clergyman and writer, was born at Branxton, Oct. 26, 1736. He was educated at Alnwick and Berwick, and afterwards (1754) entered the University of St. Andrew's, which he left to accept a sublieutenancy in the army. Deciding to enter the ministry, he was ordained deacon at Michaelmas in 1759, and became one of Dr. Sharp's assistants in the curacy of Duke's Place, Aldgate. After this he fell into a rambling life and in 1767 went to Italy and resided for two years in the town of Villafranca, where, he says, he read and wrote assiduously. In 1775 he obtained the office of chaplain on the ship Resolution, which he retained three years. He became curate of Hincworth, Hertfordshire, in 1780; and also took priest's orders. In 1783 lord-chancellor Thurlow presented him with the living of Lesbury, Northumberland, to which the duke of Northumberland added that of Long Houghton in the same county. He accepted in 1787 an invitation to spend some time at Tangier, and in 1790 returned from the Mediterranean. He died at his vicarage, Sept. 11, 1811. The works of Mr. Stockdale were chiefly poetical; but he also wrote, Treatise on Education (1782, 8vo): — Sermons (1784, 1791, 8vo). See Allibone, Dict of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v.; Chalmers, Biog. Dict. s.v.