Nathaniel Woodard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nathaniel Woodard
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| Born | 21 March 1811 Basildon, England
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| Died | 25 April 1891 (aged 80) |
| Resting place | Lancing College Chapel |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Hertford College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Priest and educator |
Nathaniel Woodard (21 March 1811 – 25 April 1891) was a priest in the Church of England. He is famous for starting many schools for middle-class families in England. His goal was to give students a strong education based on Christian beliefs and good knowledge. Today, his ideas about education are continued by the Woodard Corporation, which is a charity.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Nathaniel Woodard was born on March 21, 1811, at Basildon Hall in Essex, England. His father, John Woodard, was a country gentleman who didn't have a lot of money. Nathaniel's mother, Mary, taught him at home. She was a very religious woman.
In 1834, Nathaniel went to Oxford University. While he was studying there, he got married to Harriet Brill in 1836. This meant he couldn't focus as much on his studies, but he still finished his degree in 1840.
When he first started at Oxford, Nathaniel had religious views that were called Evangelical. But soon, he became interested in a different religious movement called Tractarianism. This led him to become an Anglo-Catholic, a type of Anglican who has beliefs similar to Catholics. He kept these beliefs for the rest of his life.
Starting His Career as a Priest
Nathaniel Woodard became a priest in 1841. His first job was at a church called St Bartholomew's in Bethnal Green, London. This area had many poor people. He saw that the children there needed help, so he started a church school for them.
Later, he gave a sermon (a church talk) that caused some debate. He suggested that the church's prayer book should include special ways for people to confess their sins and be forgiven. Because of this, he was moved to another church, St James the Greater, in Clapton.
Helping Middle-Class Families Get an Education
In 1846, Woodard moved to a church in New Shoreham. Here, he noticed something important: many middle-class families in his church didn't have a good education. Sometimes, their own employees had better schooling than they did!
To help, he opened a day school in his own home. In 1848, he started a school called St Nicolas' School, which allowed students to live there (these are called boarders). The next year, in 1849, this school joined with another to become the College of St Mary and St Nicolas. This college eventually grew into the famous Lancing College.
From these small beginnings, Nathaniel Woodard decided to work full-time on creating more schools. He left his job as a priest in 1850 to focus completely on his education projects. He had help from a man named Edward Clarke Lowe, who was a headmaster and director at many of the schools. Lowe even convinced Woodard to start schools for girls in 1874, like the one in Abbots Bromley.
Recognized for His Work
Nathaniel Woodard's hard work was recognized in 1870. Oxford University gave him a special degree called a Doctor of Civil Law (DCL). He was also made a Canon of Manchester Cathedral by William Ewart Gladstone, who was a very important politician at the time. Woodard used most of the money he received from this position to help build more schools.
Woodard was a strong Anglo-Catholic. This meant his schools focused on those specific Christian beliefs. He and his supporters raised about £500,000 by the time he died in 1891. Many important people, like William Ewart Gladstone and Matthew Arnold, admired his efforts.
Nathaniel Woodard's tomb is in the chapel of Lancing College.
Woodard Schools
During his lifetime, Nathaniel Woodard started eleven schools and took over a few others. His goal was to provide a strong, Christian-based education.
Here are some of the schools he founded:
- 1848: Lancing College
- 1849: Hurstpierpoint College
- 1858: Ardingly College
- 1868: Denstone College
- 1874: Abbots Bromley School for Girls
- 1880: King's College (Taunton)
- 1884: Ellesmere College
- 1890: Worksop College
Other schools have joined the Woodard group since his death:
- 1912: Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate
- 1964-1999: Cawston College
Legacy and The Woodard Corporation
The schools Nathaniel Woodard founded became known as the "Woodard Schools." Many other schools have joined them over time, forming an important group of educational institutions.
Today, these schools are managed by a company called The Woodard Corporation. This is a registered charity that runs over 20 private schools. Many other schools are also connected to or work with the Woodard Corporation, continuing Nathaniel Woodard's vision for education.
Images for kids
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Tomb of Nathaniel Woodard in Lancing College Chapel
