11 September 2016 | Binfield, UK [Victor Hulbert with John Baildam & Helen Pearson] Dr John Woodfield, Head of Newbold’s English department for 30 years (1954-84), and a teacher and lecturer for 45 years, celebrated his 100th birthday on Sunday, 11 September. Much loved by students across the generations good wishes have come in from around the world, including those non-native English speakers who sometimes struggled with his erudite wit and wisdom. In a 100th anniversary tribute the College even negotiated with the local council to call a new Binfield road, Woodfield Place.
Andreas Bockmann, now a professor at Friedensau University in Germany remembers him as “Indeed, a gentleman from the 19th century!” He added, “As foreigners we knew full well, if you understood a sermon by John Woodfield – with all its literary allusions – you had pretty much mastered the English language.”
‘The good Doctor’, as some of his students used to call him, still reads a poem every day – and a lot of other things. On the table beside his chair, sits a pile of literature and history books. Still exercising his gift as a painter, he has recently completed a self-portrait in oils. Upstairs, he is still working on his memoirs and continuing to fulfil his mother’s description: ‘Those Woodfields, always scribbling.’ These days, he ‘scribbles’ on his computer!
It was Woodfield who encouraged the current Newbold Principal, Dr John Baildam, to move from Stanborough School to teach at Newbold, incidentally following in Woodfield’s steps. Yet an illustrious career in education seemed improbable for the young Woodfield, born in Hereford in 1916. When his parents became Seventh-day Adventists his father lost his comfortable job and ended up selling Christian literature door-to-door, which, Woodfield recalls, “put bread on the table but no butter.”
Woodfield left school at age 14 to be apprenticed to a cabinet maker. However, a generous gift from an Australian church member set him on his life’s pathway of teaching and study.
After graduating in 1939, John ministered in Derby and Hull for a short time being offered a teaching position at Stanborough School, Watford, alongside the opportunity of further studies in his chosen field of English. He jumped at the chance. “I taught everything except mathematics,” he says. “They didn’t trust me with that!”. All along, he had continued to study by correspondence and in 1945 graduated with a BA Hons in English from the University of London. In 1946, at the age of 30, he was promoted to headmaster.
Married now to Jean Lauderdale, John and his growing family lived and worked at Stanborough Park until, in 1954, they moved to Newbold College, Binfield, where John began his work as a lecturer. His studies continued at London University’s Kings College and in 1964 resulted in a PhD in English Literature – only the third Newbold lecturer to gain a doctorate since the foundation of the College in 1901.
In retirement, gardening, painting, woodworking, bee-keeping and writing have filled his days with pleasure. That passion for service, hard work and excellence has rewarded him with the knowledge of a job very well done.”
A fuller account will appear in the next edition of The Newboldian under the title ‘A poet among Puritans.’ [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, director; Esti Pujic, editor
119 St Peter’s Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ted.adventist.org
tedNEWS is an information bulletin issued by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European Division.
You are free to re-print any portion of the bulletin without need for special permission. However, we kindly request that you identify tedNEWS whenever you publish these materials.
