- 1947-10-07 — The first Bahá'í wedding in Winnipeg took place between Rowland Estall and Yvonne Killins. Ross Woodman officiated, and the event was held at "the Business and Professional Women's Club". [Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p19]
- 1948-04-24 —
The National Spiritual Assembly of the Dominion of Canada was established. [BBRSM:186; BW13:856; MBW143; PP397; BW11p20]
- It was attended by 112 Bahá'ís, 19 of them delegates. The country-wide membership was less than 500. [BC Vol 9 No 8 October 1987 p17]
- Those elected were: John Robarts (chair), Emeric Sala (vice), Laura Davis (sec'y), Siegfried Schopflocher (tres), Rowland Estall, Lloyd Gardner, Ross Woodman, Rosemary Sala, and Doris Richardson. [BN No 207 May 1948 105BE p3]
- See BW11:160, 184, Bahá'í Historical Facts for pictures.
- The first National Convention was held in the Maxwell home (in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's home as will be the election of the Universal House of Justice some 15 years hence.) with 13/19 delegates from all the provinces attending. (Six were unable to attend due to a flood.) Those elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly were: Laura Davis, Rowland Estall, Lloyd Gardner, Doris Richardson, John Robarts, Emeric Sala, Rosemary Sala, Siegfried Schopflocher, and Ross Woodman. [TG110, OBCC269-272]
- For a picture of the first Canadian National Spiritual Assembly see OBCC148.
- For Ruhiyyíh Khanum's Message to the first Canadian Convention see BN212 October 1948 pg2-t and Part II of the same address can be found at BN213 Novembe3r 1948 pg10-11.
- 1950-04-29 —
The third National Convention was held in Toronto at 22 College Street with 19 delegates and a total of 125 in attendance. Those elected to the National Assembly were: Rowland Estall, (vice-chair) John Robarts, (chair), Emeric Sala, Ross Woodman; Laura Davis, (secretary), Winnifred Harvey, Freddie Schopflocher, (treasurer) Mae McKenna and Rosemary Sala. [CBN No 13 May 1950 p2-3]
- The budget for the year 107 B. E. was $19,000. [CBN No 14 July 1950 p2]
- All 19 delegates were present. [CBN 13 May 1950 p3]
- 2014-03-20 — The passing of Dr Ross Woodman, (b. 28 November 1922 Port William, Nova Scotia), at his home in London, ON. He was a member of the first National Spiritual Assembly of Canada when it was elected in 1948. He was interred at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in London. [Find a grave]
He was survived by his wife Dr. Marion Woodman, an internationally-known author and psychoanalyst, who passed away in 2018. [CBNS 27 March 2014]
A film called Rebel Angel was made about their marriage.
For nearly forty years Mr Woodman was Professor in the Department of English at the University of Western Ontario, where he taught Romantic literature, until his retirement in 1989. In 1993 he received the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Keats-Shelley Association of America.
His publications include: The Apocalyptic Vision in the Poetry of Percy Bysshe Shelley and a book about celebrated Canadian poet and fellow-professor at the University of Western Ontario, James Reaney.
Mr Woodman contributed several articles to The Journal of Bahá'í Studies.
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