John Somervell Hoyland was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham in 1887, the eldest son of John William Hoyland (died 1927) and Rachel Anna Somervell. His mother died in the early 1890s and John William remarried. The Hoylands were an old Quaker family from Sheffield and John William Hoyland was the first principal of the Kingsmead College in Selly Oak, Birmingham. John Somervell was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham; Christ's College, Cambridge (MA. 1914); and Hartford Seminary School of Missions, USA. In 1911, Hoyland took part with other British Young Friends in a visit to the USA which contributed to the unification of American Quakers.
From 1912 to 1926, Hoyland worked as a missionary in India. He began as principal of the Friends' Mission High School at Hoshangabad and in 1919, moved to Nagpur to become a lecturer in history and English at Hislop College where he remained until 1928. He was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal in connection with his assistance during an influenza epidemic in 1918. He also compiled the successful book, A Book of Prayers: written for use in an Indian college (London: The Challenge Press, 1921). On his return to England, Hoyland gave the Swarthmore lecture to the Society of Friends. He joined the staff of Woodbrooke, the Quaker college in Selly Oak. He remained there for 24 years as a lecturer in biblical, social and international questions and as warden of Woodbrooke's Men's Hostel, Holland House 1930-1940.
John S. Hoyland was known as 'Jack' to his friends and family. He married a high school teacher, Helen Doncaster (1887-1919) from Sheffield in 1913 but she died while in India. He married South African born Jessie Mary Marais in 1921 who survived him. Hoyland died on 31 October 1957.
Hoyland was a prolific writer. His Who's Who entry records some 60 titles but also hundreds of articles, poems and prayers were published. The published works can broadly be divided into poetry and prayers, history and civilisation, social issues, India, and religion. Examples of these include: the collection of poems, Indian Dawn (Heffer, 1934); Prayers for a One Year Old (Heffer, 1927); A Brief History of Civilisation (Oxford University Press, 1925); Digging with the Unemployed (Student Christian Movement Press, 1934); The Case for India (J.M. Dent, 1929); and The Way of St Francis (Student Christian Movement Press, 1935). Journal entries recording his time in India were published by the Quaker press under the title, 'Omnibus'.
From the guide to the Correspondence of John S. Hoyland (1887-1957), Quaker and missionary, 1820-1958, 1820-1958, (The University of Nottingham)
