Frank Woods: Archbishop of Melbourne 1957-77
Australian History Memoir Biography Spirituality Religious History Christianity Church History Anglicanism
Frank Woods: Archbishop of Melbourne 1957-77 is the first-edition biography that traces the life of one of Australia’s most influential Anglican leaders. Written by Brian Porter, this 2007 paperback captures Woods’ transformation from a shy English ordinand to the charismatic 12th Archbishop of Melbourne who reshaped the national church during two pivotal decades. Readers gain rare insight into how Woods modernised liturgy, championed ecumenism and navigated the social upheavals of the 1960s and 70s, all while maintaining a deep personal piety that inspired both parishioners and politicians.
What makes this copy especially appealing to collectors and history buffs is its pristine, very-good condition and the fact that it is a scarce first printing from Melbourne’s Trinity College Press. Unlike later reprints, this edition contains the original photographs, detailed footnotes and first-hand interviews that later versions condensed. The book’s tight spine and clean pages mean it can sit proudly on a shelf or be read without the brittleness common to university-press publications of the period.
For anyone researching Australian religious history, Melbourne civic life, or the global Anglican communion, Porter’s balanced narrative offers both scholarly rigour and engaging storytelling. Young adults exploring vocation, lay ministers seeking role-model biographies, and historians tracking Melbourne’s transformation after World War II will find Woods’ story a compelling lens on how faith adapts to cultural change. Securing this first-edition copy ensures you own the definitive portrait of the archbishop who once described his calling as “building bridges where others built walls.”
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