Hinsley was born in Carlton near Selby, to Thomas and Bridget Hinsley. His father was a carpenter and his mother was an Irish Catholic. He studied at Ushaw College in Durham and then proceeded for theological studies to the English College in Rome. Hinsley's education was sponsored by his parish priest, who was also one of the Duke of Norfolk's chaplains at Carlton Towers. Ordained to the priesthood on 23 December 1893 and was immediately appointed to teach at Ushaw College, a position he held until 1897. He then took up pastoral ministry in Leeds and served as headmaster of St. Bede's Grammar School from 1900 to 1904. In 1917, after another period of pastoral work, Hinsley became a Domestic Prelate of His Holiness and the rector of the English College in Rome, a post in which he remained until 1928.
Episcopate
On 10 August 1926, he was appointed Titular bishop of Sebastopolis in Armenia by Pope Pius XI. Hinsley received his episcopal consecration on the following 30 November from Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val, with Archbishop Giuseppe Palica and Bishop Peter Amigo serving as co-consecrators, in the chapel of the English College. He was later named Apostolic visitor to British Africa on 10 December 1927. While in Africa, he suffered a bout of paratyphoid fever. At the age of 65 he made a valiant effort with other clerics to climb Mount Etna in South Italy. Sadly they had to turn back as one of the party, Cardinal Francis Carberri, had respiratory problems halfway up the mountain. Hinsley always said even on his deathbed that he regretted not climbing up Etna. Pius XI, on 9 January 1930, made Hinsley Titular Archbishop of Sardis and Apostolic Delegate to the British missions in Africa that were not under the jurisdiction of the apostolic delegations of Egypt, Belgian Congo, and South Africa. He retired as Apostolic Delegate due to ill health on 25 March 1934 and in recognition of his long service in Rome and to the Vatican was appointed a canon of St. Peter's Basilica. It was from this tranquil, semi-retired position, in his 70th year, that Hinsley was the surprisingly nominated fifth Archbishop of Westminster on 1 April 1935, thus becoming the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
Cardinalate
He was created Cardinal-Priest of S. Susanna by Pope Pius XI in the consistory of 13 December 1937. In his capacity of cardinal, Hinsley served as one of the electors in the 1939 papal conclave, which selected Pope Pius XII. A supporter of ecumenism, Hinsley founded the multi-denominational 'Sword of the Spirit' in October 1940 to rally his fellow English clergymen against totalitarianism. He defended Alfred Noyes in his argument with the Vatican. The English prelate apparently supported Franco during the Spanish Civil War. It has been claimed his support for Winston Churchill was important to the Prime Minister in 1940 and helped improve relations between the Church and the British establishment. Catholic schools at that time educated 8% of children in England and Wales. The President of the Board of Education, Rab Butler, was drawing up plans for what would eventually become the Education Act 1944, and was keen to draw Church schools into the state system in return for financial support. Although he was able to negotiate deals with the Church of England and the nonconformist Churches, Butler was told that his plans were not acceptable to the Roman Catholic Church. Hinsley wrote a shrewd letter to "The Times", stressing President Roosevelt's commitment to freedom of conscience and arguing that Catholic schools should not be bullied by the state as they often provided for the poorest inner-city communities. Hinsley, nearly blind and deaf, died from a heart attack at his country retreat of Hare Street House near Buntingford, at age 77. He was buried at Westminster Cathedral. Archbishop William Temple, of Canterbury, described him as "a most devoted citizen of his country... a most kindly and warmhearted friend". The Daily Mail described him as "the greatest English Cardinal since Wolsey...and probably the best loved Cardinal England ever had." The Diocese of Leeds’ Pastoral and Conference Centre, Hinsley Hall, was named in honour of the Cardinal.
Book cited
Howard, AnthonyRAB: The Life of R. A. Butler, Jonathan Cape 1987
