Reverend W. Maitland WoodsPrint Page

The bell tower commemorates Reverend Maitland Woods, Rector of St Mary's 1903 - 1912, and Chaplain in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) during World War One. 

In 1889 Woods was  made deacon and arrived in North Queensland to be curate of St James's Pro-Cathedral, Townsville. Appointed curate-in-charge, Thursday Island, in 1890, he was ordained priest on 11 April 1892. As the first rector of Thursday Island, he displayed 'a strong sense of missionary vocation' and saw the Quetta Memorial Church built before he moved in 1897 to Cairns. Woods then worked in parishes at Dalby (1899-1903), Kangaroo Point, Brisbane (1903-13), and Ariah Park, New South Wales (1913-15).

Having been appointed chaplain in the Queensland Land Forces in 1893, Woods had continued to serve in the Australian Military Forces. He transferred to the Australian Imperial Force on 9 August 1915. Two months later he was at Gallipoli, attached briefly to the 2nd Brigade, then to the 7th Light Horse Regiment with which he remained after the evacuation in December.  In 1919 Woods was appointed O.B.E. and mentioned in dispatches. He returned to Australia and his A.I.F. appointment was terminated on 16 June 1919.

A memorial is to be erected at St. Mary's Church, Kangaroo Point, to the memory of the late Rev. Maitland Woods. The decision was made at a meeting of the late reverend gentleman's admirers and others who had benefited by his large-hearted helpfulness, held last night, by the courtesy of the acting rector (the Rev. S. S. Moncrieff), in St. Mary's Parish Hall.

Mr. A. Lewis suggested a belfry as the most suitable memorial. He thought that although the late padre had won a great name for himself amongst the soldiers at the front, the interest in erecting the memorial would extend far beyond them. Most of the residents of Kangaroo Point knew what Mr. Woods had done for the young people of the parish, and, he (the speaker) feeling round to see what support the project would receive, first approached a Presbyterian, who, out of gratitude for what the Rev. gentleman had done for his sister-in-law's children, promised his hearty support. The meeting closed by adopting a motion giving general approval of the scheme to erect a belfry and bell at St. Mary's Church, if the fund raised proved sufficient, or, as an alternative, a stained glass window. 
The Brisbane Courier (Qld), 1 June 1927.

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