DOWNEY, JOHN CUTHBERT (1832-95) was born in Liverpool and in 1848 entered the Benedictine order. Ordained priest at Rome in 1855, he returned to England and in conjunction with Lord Abbot Alcock (who came with the Benedictines to New Zealand) he founded a branch of the order at Ramsgate. In 1868 he was appointed prior of the monastery of Tenterden, at Ashford, Kent. After filling the position of Vicar-apostolic at Dacca, Bengal, for three years he came to New Zealand with Bishop Steins in 1879 and established a Benedictine mission at Newton. Downey died on 21 May 1895.

Cycl. NZ, ii (p); NZ Tablet, 31 May 1895.

Reference: Volume 1, page 126

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