| Description | This poem was written to Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury by Herbert George Wood to commemorate Taylor Cadbury's eightieth birthday on 24th June 1938. The poem is written in an acrostic style, the first letter of each of the three stanzas forming Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury's initials 'EMC', Elizabeth Mary Cadbury. The second stanza of the poem refers specifically to Taylor Cadbury's eightieth birthday, Wood writing that on reaching eighty Elizabeth should be assured of 'youth's confidence' and her future. He concludes the poem writing 'surely goodness, mercy, joy, have followed thee through all the days!'
The page on which the poem is written is annotated in pencil with the word 'Friendships', reflecting Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury's close relationship with Wood and also her conscious efforts to preserve and archive her personal papers. |
| AdminHistory | Herbert George Wood (1879-1963) came to Woodbrooke Quaker College in Selly Oak space as a teacher of New Testament and early Christian theology in 1904. Following the resignation of Rendel Harris in 1918, Wood was appointed as Director of Studies at Woodbrooke, formally becoming a member of the Society of Friends in 1923. Scott writes that Wood later became the Chair of Theology at the University of Birmingham. In addition to his work at Woodbrooke, Wood was closely associated with Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury in her political campaign to be elected Liberal Party Member of Parliament for Kings Norton in 1923. |