FABIAN S WOODLEY

Fabian S Woodley was born in 1888 in Bristol. He went to Cheltenham College and then University College, Oxford where he was awarded a B.A. in 1910.

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In 1914 he joined the Royal Munster Fusiliers and became a Captain. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1916 for 'Conspicuous gallantry during operations. By his skill and determination he beat off three counter-attacks of the enemy, who were endeavouring to reach his trench. Four days later he led his men in two attacks with great pluck’.

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In 1917, Fabian married Ida Leonora Lees, born 1892 in Bristol. They were divorced in 1922.

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Fabian was a member of the Uranium poetry movement, and had 'A Crown of Friendship', a book of his poetry, published in 1921.

 

Before and after the war, he worked in journalism, particularly with his father on the Somerset County Gazette. In 1921 he embarked on a career in teaching with a role as Assistant Master at Wellington School, Somerset. He moved to be  Senior English Master at Peter Symond's School in Winchester in 1924.

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Fabian moved to Down Cottage in 1938 and lived there until 1953. In 1939 he is shown as living there with his man servant, Albert E Pearson.

Fabian died in 1957, in Winchester. In his will he left £500 to St. Peter's Church, Winchester 'for the good of the poor of the parish'.

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He is buried at Madalen Hill Cemetery, Winchester, plot Q87. The inscription on the grave is now largely illegible, but according to the HGS MI records it says:

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In Loving Memory of Fabian Strachan WOODLEY _ _ 1957 aged 69.

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For further information and his poems see https://ganymedes.webs.com/.