The son of Henry Handley Norris of
Hackney, by Grace, daughter of the Rev. T. Hest of
Warton, Lancashire, he was born at Hackney on 14 January 1771. Educated at
Newcome's School and
Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1797, M.A. 1806, he was admitted
ad eundem at the
University of Oxford on 23 January 1817. Norris became a curate of Hackney parish church, the
Church of St John-at-Hackney. He contributed to the cost of building a chapel-of-ease in
South Hackney, not far from his family mansion. In 1809, on becoming the
perpetual curate of the chapel, he made over to trustees a
fee-farm rent of £21 a year as an endowment; he also erected at his own expense a minister's residence in Well Street. In 1831 the perpetual
curacy became a rectory, and in this incumbency Norris remained till his death. Norris became dissatisfied with the chapel-of-ease and in the 1840s succeeded in building the huge St John of
Jerusalem church, the current parish church of South Hackney. The influence held by Norris in the religious world was far-reaching. He came to be known as the head of the high church party, leading a group of like-minded friends based in Hackney, the
Hackney Phalanx, which was regarded as the rival and counterpoise of the evangelical school or
Clapham sect. It was rumoured, baselessly that during
Lord Liverpool's long premiership every see that fell vacant was offered to Norris, with the request that if he would not take it himself, he would recommend someone else; so he had the nickname "the Bishop-maker". From 1793 to 1834, as a member of the committee of the
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, he largely ruled its proceedings; but in 1834 there was a revolt against his management, and he was left in a minority. Norris became a
prebendary of
Llandaff Cathedral on 22 November 1816, and a prebendary of
St Paul's Cathedral on 4 November 1825. Inheriting from his father an ample fortune, he was able to aid many students in their university and professional careers. Norris died at Grove Street, Hackney, on 4 December 1850. Parishioners, assisted by his family, erected in his memory an almshouse for four Anglican widows. ==Works==