Edward Bamber
Beatified English priest
Who they were
Edward Bamber, born near Poulton-le-Fylde, studied at Valladolid and was ordained. Landing at Dover he knelt to thank God, was seen, arrested and banished; he returned, was taken again, escaped when his keepers were drunk, and was sheltered by Mr Singleton, who had been warned in a dream to help him.
Arrested a third time, he spent three years in Lancaster Castle. Condemned for administering the sacraments, he suffered with great constancy on 7 August 1646, reconciling a felon executed with him and encouraging his fellow martyrs.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A priest who kept his courage through escapes, prison and death.
The cause
The cause continues. No postulation address is published here yet. Favours received through this person’s intercession, and offers of help, are best sent to the religious order or congregation they belonged to, or to the diocese where the cause was opened; either will pass them to the postulation.
Connected on this site
- John Woodcock Blessed“A Franciscan priest, in religion Martin of St Felix, who was hanged at Lancaster with Edward Bamber and Thomas Whitaker for having entered the dominions of King Charles I as a priest; the Acta Apostolicae Sedis record his death at Lancaster in 1646, at the age of forty-three.” — this site's research
- Martin of St Felix (John) Woodcock Blessed“At Lancaster in England, Blessed Martin of Saint Felix (John) Woodcock, of the Order of Friars Minor, Edward Bamber and Thomas Whitaker, priests and martyrs, condemned to hanging for having entered the dominions of King Charles I as priests.” — this site's research
- Thomas Whittaker Blessed“Naturally timid and dreading his death, he nevertheless refused every offer of life for conforming, saying: 'A reprieve or even a pardon upon your conditions I utterly refuse.' He was executed at Lancaster on 7 August 1646 with Edward Bamber and John Woodcock.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Edward Bamber
- Wikidata Q5341741 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Edward Bamber (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.