Lloyd Francis Whitfeld was born in Hobart, Tasmania on 24 July 1913. His parents left Tasmania when he was six and he went to school in Essenden High School in Victoria, Australia. His University education was at Trinity College, Melbourne where he took his BA in History and Latin in 1934, followed much later by MA (by thesis in History) in 1951. After his first degree he completed a course of Theology for Ordination in the Church of England (also at Melbourne) and was ordained there for the Anglican Church in 1937. After ordination he served two curacies in Melbourne and was then put in charge of an extensive outback parish in Victoria. In 1942 he joined the Australian forces as chaplain and served until 1945 in New Guinea. At this stage he was already thinking seriously about the Catholic Church. From 1946 to 1950 he turned to teaching and served on the staff of Melbourne Church of England Grammar School. He then moved to England and from 1951 to 1962 he was Assistant Chaplain and Junior Housemaster at Christ's Hospital School in Sussex. In spite of the difficulties he must have felt in moving from Australia he fitted in well at Christ's Hospital and was remembered with appreciation and affection. However, he now wanted to be received into full communion in the Catholic Church and in 1962 he came to Ampleforth where he at first taught in the School as he prepared for reception.
In September 1963 he was accepted as a Postulant and in January 1964 he received the Benedictine habit from Abbot Basil Hume and began his novitiate. He made his Simple Vows in 1965 and his Solemn Vows in 1968. He was ordained priest on 5 July 1970. From then on Fr Gilbert led a quiet and exemplary monastic life in the Monastery. He taught in the School with great kindness and understanding for those who were struggling; in the Monastery also he taught Latin to any novices who needed it. He was responsible for the Catholic Chapel at Helmsley from 1972 to 1982. For 25 years he was in charge of the monastic clothes store and no trouble was too much for him in response to any request. To the end he was an example to all in his fidelity to monastic life and prayer, his readiness to help, his availability to the brethren. During the last two years his health deteriorated gradually but he remained active nearly to the end. He spent his last week in hospital and, having received the sacraments, died peacefully there in the early hours of the feast of All Monks 13 November 1993.
Lloyd Francis Gilbert WHITFELD
1913 Jly 24 born Hobart Tasmania
1932 -1936 Melbourne University BA, & MA (thesis in History)
Two year Anglican theological course in Australia for Th.L.
1937 -1942 In Anglican ministry: served two curacies in Melbourne,
and in an extensive outback parish in northern Victoria.
1942 -1945 War service in New Guinea.
1946 [-1950] on staff of Melbourne Grammar school, qualified by
theory and practice as primary teacher for
registration in Victoria.
1945 Dec 23 Received into the Church at Loyola College, Watsonia,
Victoria.
1951 -1962 on staff of Christ's Hospital, Sussex and Junior Housemaster.
1964 Jan 19 Habit at Ampleforth Abbot Hume
1965 Jan 20 Simple vows
1967 In charge of monastic Store for clothes etc.
1968 Jan 20 Solemn vows
1968 Jly 6 Subdeacon Bishop McClean
1969 Jly 6 Deacon
1970 Jly 5 Priest
1972 Aug 27 Assistant with Helmsley chapel (retired 1982)