Education
Born in Edinburgh, he was educated at Heriot-Watt College.
Born in Edinburgh, he was educated at Heriot-Watt College.
Imprisoned as a conscientious objector during World War I, Woodburn worked in engineering and ironfounding administration, and was a lecturer and national secretary of the Scottish Labour College. He was Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party from 1932 to 1939, and President of the National Council of Labour Colleges from 1937 to 1965. He also served on the Edinburgh "Hands off Russia" committee in the 1930s.
In Parliament he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Tom Johnston in 1941, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Supply from 1945 to 1947.
He was Secretary of State for Scotland from 1947 until 1950 in the government of Clement Attlee. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1947.
He had a strong interest in economics, education, European unity, international relations, modern languages and Scottish history. He was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the National Library of Scotland in 1961 and his papers are held by the Library.
37th United Kingdom Parliament. 38th United Kingdom Parliament. 39th United Kingdom Parliament.
40th United Kingdom Parliament.
41st United Kingdom Parliament. 42nd United Kingdom Parliament.
43rd United Kingdom Parliament. 44th United Kingdom Parliament]
Woodburn was an unsuccessful candidate for Edinburgh South in 1929 and Edinburgh Leith in 1931.
He was Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire from 1939 until 1970.