W. A. Sibly

W. A. Sibly JP
Born	William Arthur Sibly (1882-05-14)14 May 1882 Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, England
Died	20 September 1959(1959-09-20) (aged 77) Pitchcombe, near Stroud, Gloucestershire, England
Other names	W. A. S.
Education	Lincoln College, Oxford
Occupation(s)	Headmaster, activist
Years active	1906–1959
Employer	Wycliffe College
Known for	Headmaster of Wycliffe College and vegetarianism activism
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William Arthur Sibly JP (14 May 1882 – 20 September 1959), also known as W. A. S., was an English headmaster and vegetarianism activist. He was the headmaster of Wycliffe College (1912–1947), succeeding the position from his father, who founded the school. Sibly was a key figure in the vegetarian movement, serving as President of the International Vegetarian Union (1947–1953) and Past President (1953–1959), as well as President of the Vegetarian Society (1938–1959).

Biography

Early life and education

William Arthur Sibly was born on 14 May 1882, at Wycliffe College in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, less than a year after its foundation by his father, who was its first headmaster. He spent his childhood within the school grounds, eventually becoming its senior boy. Sibly excelled academically and athletically, earning the affection and respect of his peers. Following in his father's footsteps, he attended Lincoln College, Oxford, which were his only years away from Wycliffe until his retirement. He graduated with an M.A..

Career at Wycliffe College

Wycliffe College in 1900

Sibly started teaching as an assistant master at Wycliffe College in 1906. He became the Housemaster of Springfield in 1910. In 1912, following his father experiencing an accident, he succeeded him as headmaster, at the age of 30. His early years as headmaster were challenging, especially during World War I, but he managed to keep the school running smoothly despite numerous difficulties.

Sibly's tenure as headmaster saw significant expansion and development at Wycliffe. He oversaw the construction of several new buildings, including the Berryfield, the Library, the Assembly Hall, and the Memorial Chapel Tower and Spire, among others. His leadership helped establish Wycliffe as a respected institution.

In 1931, Sibly handed over the school to the first Council of Governors, a step he initiated. Despite this change, he continued to work with the Council, contributing significantly to the school's ongoing development.

Contributions to vegetarianism

Sibly (centre) at the 1923 IVU Congress in Sweden

A lifelong vegetarian, Sibly was deeply involved in promoting vegetarianism. Under his direction, Springfield House at Wycliffe College adopted a vegetarian diet by 1913, and it appears to have maintained this practice until Sibly's death.

In 1923, he attended the International Vegetarian Union (IVU) Congress in Sweden. He contributed a paper on "The Work Done at Wycliffe College", highlighting the school's vegetarian practices. Sibly continued to be an active participant in subsequent IVU Congresses.

In 1926, he presided over a session at the London Congress, where he discussed the implementation of a vegetarian diet at Wycliffe and its approval by the New Health Society. He also authored a pamphlet on the experiment titled "Vegetarianism and the Growing Boy", which indicated that vegetarian students sustained comparable levels of achievement in scholarship and athletics over a period of 30 years to non-vegetarian students.

Sibly also served as the President of the Vegetarian Society, from 1938, which celebrated its centenary in 1947. He was also Vice President of the London Vegetarian Society.

By the 1947 IVU Congress, Sibly had become the President of IVU, a role he held until 1953. He was instrumental in reviving the IVU after World War II. Sibly hosted and largely organized the 11th World Vegetarian Congress in the same year at Wycliffe, where he was re-elected as IVU President.

During his presidency, Sibly attended the 1950 Congress in the Netherlands, where he delivered a lantern lecture titled "A Vegetarian Wanders Around the Commonwealth", focusing on Australasia. His leadership was marked by a vision of vegetarianism as a hope for the future of humanity, a sentiment he expressed in his opening remarks at the Congress.

Later life

Sibly (fourth from the right) at the opening of Stonehouse Post Office in 1933

Upon retiring from Wycliffe in 1945, Sibly embarked on extensive travels, visiting countries such as South Africa, India, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Malaya, Kenya, the Middle East, West Africa, the United States, the West Indies, and South America. He continued to engage with the international vegetarian community and maintained strong connections with former students.

After retiring as IVU President in 1953, Sibly continued to serve as Past President and remained active in the organisation. He chaired several meetings and participated in various Congresses, including the 1955 Paris Congress and the 1957 Congress in India, where he was welcomed warmly and spoke on vegetarianism's impact on culture and health.

In addition to his work with the IVU and the Vegetarian Society, Sibly was actively involved in public life. He was a chairman of the Stonehouse magistrates and was a justice of the peace. He served as a Council member of the RSPCA, and was involved with various local and national organisations, incuding on the Executive Councils of the National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports and the National Anti-Vaccination League. Sibly was also a Methodist preacher in his local area.

Death and legacy

Sibly died at the Resthaven, Pitchcombe, near Stroud, following an operation, on 20 September 1959. A memorial service was held in the Wycliffe College Chapel. The service was conducted by Chaplain Rev. F. D. Morley, with readings by Rev. F. F. Clutterbuck and an address by Rev. T. S. Dixon. The Wycliffe Choir led the singing. Headmaster Mr. S. G. H. Loosley, staff, and a large congregation attended, including representatives from the Gloucestershire Education Committee, Vegetarian Society, Boy Scouts Association, and other organisations associated with Sibly. Relatives were also present.

Sibly's death marked the end of an era for the IVU, but his contributions to the vegetarian movement were considered to have a lasting impact. His work at Wycliffe College and his leadership in the IVU helped promote vegetarianism and inspired many within the movement.

Sibly Hall at Wycliffe College, commemorating Sibly and his father, was opened in 1964. S. G. H. Loosley's book Wycliffe College: The First Hundred Years, 1882-1982, was dedicated to Sibly.

Personal life

Sibly was a non-smoker and teetotal. He was also an anti-vaccinationist and anti-vivisectionist. He was an avid cyclist and the founder-president of the Stonehouse Wheelers' Club.

Sibly never married, instead devoting his life to his school. He was described in an obituary as being somewhat eccentric.

Selected publications

• Register of Old Wycliffians (1907/1913/1926/1958)
• "Vegetarianism and the Growing Boy" (1914/1942)
• "Health for Our Boys and Girls" (c. 1920–1929)
• Wycliffe and the War (joint editor; 1923)
• A Memoir of George William Sibly (1930)

Further reading

• "Sibly family". DMBI: A Dictionary of Methodism in Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 23 July 2024.

External links

• Media related to W. A. Sibly at Wikimedia Commons
• Portraits of W. A. Sibly at the National Portrait Gallery, London
• Letters from W. A. Sibly at the National Library of Wales