George Tobias A Life of Service From Stretcher-bearer in World War 1 to Bishop of Namibia

About the Book

This book tells the story of the life of Bishop George Wolfe Robert Tobias, M.C., M.A. (1882-1974). The first chapter of the book describes briefly his first 32 years. Drawing extensively on family letters, the following eight chapters tell the story of his time as stretcher-bearer, priest & chaplain to the forces in the 1st World War. Several remarkable personal accounts are provided. These include detailed day-by-day – and occasional hour-by-hour - descriptions of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916, and the final days and hours of the war in October & November 1918. The next part of the book tells the story of George’s remarkable work in founding the Anglican Church in northern Namibia. It sheds light on aspects of the history of the Kwanyama people and of missionary endeavours in the period from 1924 to 1939.. It also illuminates some of the tensions between the various churches and between the churches and the government. The final part of the book consists of three chapters. Chapter 16 tells the story of George’s life as diocesan bishop in the Anglican Church in Namibia during and immediately after the 2nd World War (1939-49), and the final two chapters describe his later years as parish priest in the Cape and as a strong supporter, consultant and adviser to the church in Namibia.

About the Author

The author is Robert Tobias, MA (Cambridge), MA (Chicago). a retired academic, he is George Tobias’ son. With access to family letters and a diary as well as other correspondence, reports, etc., he was thus uniquely well-placed to write this biography By way of background, the author was Director of Extra-Mural Studies, University of Cape Town, South Africa from 1968 to 1978. In 1978 he moved with his wife and family to Aotearoa New Zealand to a position as a Senior Lecturer and then Senior Research Fellow in Education, University of Canterbury (1978-2010). He has been an active researcher and has published extensively mainly in adult education, community education, adult literacy and lifelong learning, with more than seventy publications listed in ResearchGate. The orientation in much of his writing is historical. His most recent book-length publication is ‘Fifty Years of Learning : A history of Adult & Community Education in Aotearoa from the 1960s to the present day’, ACE Aotearoa, 2016.