Woodruff, Douglas, 1897-1978

(John) Douglas Woodruff was born on May 8, 1897 to Cumberland Woodruff and Emily Louise Hewitt in Wimbledon, England. Woodruff converted to Catholicism at the age of 13, following his mother’s conversion. Woodruff was educated at Downside School, and New College, Oxford. At Oxford, Woodruff was a member of the Union’s debating team alongside his friend Christopher Hollis, later a Conservative politician.

From 1936 to 1967, Woodruff was editor of the Tablet, a Catholic weekly international review published in London. Under Woodruff, the Tablet became the leading voice of English Catholics. Woodruff was also the chairman of the Catholic publishing house Burns & Oates between 1948 and 1962, and chairman of Associated Catholic Newspapers between 1953-1970. Woodruff was a right-wing Catholic who believed in a clear separation of religion and politics.

In 1933, Woodruff married Hon. Marie Immaculeé Antoinette Lyon-Dalberg-Acton (known as Mia), born to Richard Lyon-Dalberg-Acton, 2nd Baron Acton, and Dorothy Lyon on April 1, 1905. Douglas Woodruff died on March 9, 1978.