Wood, Stanley George (1907-1968)

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

STANLEY GEORGE WOOD: born in Kirk Ireton in 1907. For his secondary schooling he went to Wirksworth Grammar School. The influence of a godly home soon became apparent for early in his life he gave evidence of the evangelistic zeal which characterized the rest of his life. After a period at Cliff College he went to Redditch as a lay evangelist. This led on to the work of the full time ministry for which he trained at Hartley College. 

It was there that he was called to the work of the church overseas, going to Fernando Po in 1934. After one tour he transferred to the mainland Eastern Nigeria District but returned to the island from time to time as relief for the minister on furlough. His knowledge of Spanish he was always ready to use for his Master although it meant that he was not allowed to settle in one mission station for any length of time, frequently doing relief work. This he accepted as part of his offered service. Even after he returned to home work in 1951 at Thornley he had within eighteen months agreed to meet the need of the Missionary Society for a representative in Portugal. 

His tact and infinite patience in dealing with government officials was typical of his dealings with all people. He discharged his responsibilities with credit to himself and advantage to Methodism. In 1955 he returned to England and served in Gainsborough (Misterton), Northallerton, and Tamworth. The zeal of his youth, that made him spend a whole day walking up and down his home village singing evangelistic hymns, never left him. All the capacity for hard work, selflessness, courage and patience, and devotion to his Lord which he showed throughout his ministry he brought to, what proved to be his last circuit, Tamworth where he was involved in the planning of churches on two new estates. The Nigeria/Biafra conflict was a tragedy that hit him hard for the people involved always had a large place in his heart as they had of his service. 

He died suddenly on 17 August 1968, ten days before he was due to move to a new superintendency at Grantham, in the sixty-first year of age and the thirty-fourth of his ministry.

Family

Stanley was born in late 1907 at Kirk Ireton, Derbyshire, to parents Samuel Wood, a farmer (1911) and Lydia Rains.

Stanley died on 17 August 1968 at Tamworth, Staffordshire.

Circuits

• Hartley
• 1934 Fernando Po
• 1936 E Nigeria
• 1951 Thornley
• 1952 Portugal District
• 1855 Gainsborough
• 1960 Northampton
• 1963 Tamworth

References

Methodist Minutes 1969/185

W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers