Wilfrid Lambert was born on 22nd November 1884, and came to Ampleforth with his two brothers, following in their father's footsteps in April 1895. He was a widely popular schoolboy, and must have been a great comfort to the authorities, for, while he had a healthy taste for innocent mischief, his straight and wholesome character inspired trust. He was a natural athlete, fast and strong, with a good eye and co-ordination and a ready grasp of strategy and tactics. Modern methods of training yield results beside which feats of former years seem palely commonplace, but perhaps his innings of 282 in an unbroken partnership of 422 is still worthy of record. At the lowest it was a notable exhibition of strength in a seventeen year old. His successes neither turned him into a mere athlete, for he was always a reader and an averagely assiduous student, nor stirred the slightest ripple of conceit in him. Indeed games, for all his skill and success, occupied only a modest place in his estimation, far below the pursuit of angling which he had learned at his mother's knee and practised with exquisite skill. He was equally unmoved by public opinion. Waves of fashion in thought or feeling passed him by unmoved. It was not that he was aloof. He was sociable and a good mixer; but some secret strength in him gave him independence and balance, and won for him the warm respect of his companions. Those who knew him in later life will recognize that the level-headed boy was father of the man.
In 1902 he was admitted to the novitiate for Ampleforth and given the name of Sebastian, and after the usual course of philosophy he was sent to our Oxford Hall to read history. He was fortunate enough to have as tutor the future Sir Ernest Barker, and gained thereby not only skilled tuition but a lifelong friendship.
In his fascinating autobiography, after a warm tribute to Fr Paul Sir Ernest wrote:
After taking his degree he stayed up into a fourth year in order to study geography, but did not complete the year. Fr Paul fell ill at Ampleforth and was sent away to recuperate, and Fr Sebastian was brought back to fill his place. This was in 1910, and until 1956 he was heavily engaged in the life of the school: second prefect 1910 to 1916, first prefect 1916 to 1927, housemaster of St Cuthbert's 1927 to 1956. Then, in his 72nd year, he was brought into the monastery, and forthwith displayed in a high degree those monastic qualities which most of us hope for in some measure after years in the monastery. There could be no clearer evidence of the spirit in which he had lived and worked. But generations of boys, though they could not put it into words, had sensed that spirit. They had also experienced and profited by his sane, humane and understanding guidance and control, his encouragement of healthy interests and high ideals, his light and sure touch. There were degrees of psychological complexity which baffled him, but apart from such his estimate of character was rarely wrong.
Shortly after his retirement from his house ill health came upon him. There was an operation on his lung and years of increasing disability - bodily disability but of spiritual strength. Death came to him gently at short notice but recognized and accepted, on 1st March. May he rest in peace.
WILFRID SEBASTIAN LAMBERT 1 March 1961
1884 22 Nov Born Norwich
1895- to 1902 Educ Ampleforth
1902 3 Sep Habit at Belmont
1903 4 Sep Simple Vows
1906 14 Sep Solemn Vows
1911 25 May Priest
1906-09 Studied Mod History at Oxford & part of a year post-graduate
work - Geography
1910 Sep Second Prefect at Ampleforth
1916 Mar to Jul 1926 First Prefect at Ampleforth
1926 Sep Housemaster St Cuthbert's Ampleforth
1956 Sep Juniormaster
1959 18 Feb Cathedral Prior of Worcester
1961 1 Mar Died at Ampleforth
Buried at Ampleforth