Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre

Woodbrooke is a Quaker study centre in the West Midlands. It began in 1903 when George Cadbury gave his house on Bristol Road to the movement. The first director was biblical scholar J. Rendel Harris. Early staff included pacifist Leyton Richards, who became warden in 1916. Between 1907 and 1914 a new wing, a common room and Holland House men’s hostel were added. By 1922 the centre had taught 1,250 British and 400 foreign students. The centre once ran a conference facility in Selly Oak, Birmingham. In 2023 trustees decided to close the site because falling bookings and rising costs made it unsustainable. The last public events ended on 31 October 2023. The building now belongs to the Bournville Village Trust. Woodbrooke still offers short courses online and in local meetings, alongside taught and research degrees through the University of Birmingham. Visitors find quiet gardens and study spaces for Quaker worship and learning. The Centre for Research in Quaker Studies supports postgraduate work. Alumni include peace activists such as Gertrud Luckner and Hélène Monastier. Alice Paul and Margaret Thorp also studied there. The organisation continues to host creative arts and spiritual growth events across the country.