Edward Sydney Woods

Edward Sydney Woods was, from 1930 until 1937, the second Suffragan Bishop of Croydon and from then until his death, the 94th Bishop of Lichfield. Born on 1 November 1877 [ “Who was Who” 1897-1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 ISBN 071363457X ] and educated at Marlborough College and Trinity College, Cambridge he was ordained priest in 1902 and married Clemence Barclay the following year [The Times, Saturday, Aug 01, 1903; pg. 1; Issue 37148; col A Woods; Barclay] . He was Chaplain, Lecturer then Vice Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge followed by wartime service at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst [ The Times, Monday, Jun 17, 1918; pg. 11; Issue 41818; col B Royal Pavilion, Aldershot camp ] . When peace returned he became Vicar of Holy Trinity, Cambridge. From there he moved to Croydon where he was successively Vicar, Rural Dean, Archdeacon and finally bishop [ The Times, Friday, May 02, 1930; pg. 19; Issue 45502; col D Bishop Of Croydon Consecrated Service In The Abbey] before elevation to the full episcopacy [The See Of Lichfield Translation Of The Bishop Of Croydon (Official Appointments and Notices) The Times Thursday, Mar 04, 1937; pg. 14; Issue 47624; col C] at Lichfield in 1937. A prolific author [Amongst others- “Forgiveness of Sins”: London SPCK 1916; “Theodore, Bishop of Winchester” (with Very Rev. F. B. Macnutt), London SPCK1933; “How stands religion?”:Cambridge Lutterworth, 1949] he died [Pre-deceased by his wife a year earlier "Who's Who" (Ibid)] in office on 11 January 1953 [The Times, Wednesday, Jan 12, 1953; pg. 1; Issue 52525; col A Death of Bishop of Lichfield] and was commemorated posthumously in a collection of appreciations [”Edward Sydney Woods: 94th Bishop of Lichfield": London, Gollanz, 1954]

He is commemorated in Lichfield Cathedral by a most beautiful bust, the work of Jacob Epstein (1958) References