John Stansfeld

For other John Stansfelds, see John Stansfield.

John Stedwell Stansfeld (English: /ˈstænsfiːld/; 16 December 1855 – 17 December 1939) was a doctor, Anglican priest and philanthropist in Oxford, England, who founded the Oxford Medical mission in Bermondsey, London, and the Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club Football Club in 1897.

The Reverend John Stedwell Stansfeld
Born	(1855-12-16)16 December 1855 Walworth, Surrey
Died	17 December 1939(1939-12-17) (aged 84) Spelsbury, Oxfordshire
Nationality	English
Alma mater	Exeter College, Oxford Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Occupations	Physician Anglican priest
Spouse	Janet Marples (d.1918)

Early life

Stansfeld was born in West Street, Walworth, Surrey, in 1855, the son of Alfred Stansfeld (1823–86) and Eliza Stedwell (1819–1914). His father was a relative of the Stansfeld family of Stansfield and Field House, Sowerby, Yorkshire.^[1]

Career

Exeter College, Oxford

Stansfeld began his career as a civil servant in HM Customs and Excise. In 1877, he moved to Oxford, and later matriculated as a student at Exeter College, where he studied Medicine, attaining his BA in 1889, MA in 1893 and qualified as a doctor in 1897. In 1897 he started the Oxford Medical Misson in Bermondsey, London, where he founded the Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club in the same year.^[2] In 1909, he decided to take Holy Orders and studied part-time at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He was appointed Vicar of St Anne's Church, Thoburn Square, Bermondsey in 1910, and then returned to Oxford in 1912 as Rector of St Ebbe's, Oxford then a slum district until his retirement in 1926. Stansfeld died at Spelsbury, Oxfordshire, aged 85 in December 1939. He campaigned successfully for the erection of a children's playground and public baths in St Ebbe's. His philanthropy is commemorated by a blue plaque in Paradise Square, unveiled in June 2009.^[3][4][5] Stansfeld also donated land in Headington Quarry in Oxford which was named after him as Stansfeld Park.^[6]

Family

Stansfeld married Janet Marples (1871–1918) on 16 June 1902 at All Souls Church, Langham Place, London, and they had two children.^[3]

Bibliography

Baron, Barclay. The Doctor: the story of John Stansfeld of Oxford and Bermondsey (London: Arnold, 1952)

References

1. Stansfeld, J. (1885). History of the Family of Stansfeld of Stansfield in the Parish of Halifax and its numerous branches. Leeds.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
2. A Brief History of the Club Stansfeld O&BC F.C.
3. "John Stedwell Stansfeld and Headington, Oxford". www.headington.org.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
4. "The story of John Stansfeld, the man behind Stansfeld Park". The Oxford Trust. 3 November 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
5. Plaques, Open. "Dr John Stansfeld (1854-1939) historical plaques and markers". openplaques.org. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
6. "Oxford Conservation Volunteers". Oxford Conservation Volunteers. 14 December 2023.

External links

• Jenkins, Stephanie. John Stedwell Stansfeld and Headington
• Smith, Mark K. John Stansfeld ("The Doctor") and "Oxford in Bermondsey", The Encyclopedia of Informal Education (2004)
• Citation from Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board