Thomas Wood (21 April 1777 – 26 January 1860) was an English

Tory A Tory () is an individual who supports a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalist conservatism which upholds the established social order as it has evolved through the history of Great Britain. The To ...

and later

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

from 1806 to 1847.

Early life

Wood was the eldest son of fourteen children of Thomas Wood and Mary Williams, daughter and heiress of Sir Edward Williams, 5th Baronet, of

Llangibby Castle Tregrug Castle (; ) or Llangibby Castle is a ruin in Monmouthshire, Wales, located about to the north of the village of Llangybi, close to the settlement of Tregrug. The castle appears to have superseded an earlier Norman motte-and-bailey cast ...

. He was the grandson of Thomas Wood, who was MP for

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

from 1779 to 1780. Wood was educated at

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (school founder), John Lyon, a local landowner an ...

from 1788 to 1795 before matriculating at

Oriel College, Oxford Oriel College () is Colleges of the University of Oxford, a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title for ...

in 1796. The family had accumulated considerable estates at Middleham, Yorkshire,

Gwernyfed Gwernyfed is a community in Powys, Wales, centred on the village of Three Cocks (). It takes its name from Gwernyfed Park, a medieval deer park within the community. The community of Gwernyfed was established in 1985 through the merger of the ...

in Wales and Littleton and

Astlam Littleton is a village in the borough of Spelthorne, approximately west of central London. Historically part of the county of Middlesex, it was transferred to Surrey in 1965. It is the location of Shepperton Studios. The village is separated ...

in Middlesex.

Career

In 1806, Wood was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for

Breconshire Brecknockshire ( or ), also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon, was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was created in 1536 under the Laws in Wales ...

. He held the seat until 1847. He was appointed High Sheriff of Breconshire for 1809 to 1810. Wood commanded the

Royal East Middlesex Militia The Royal East Middlesex Militia was an auxiliary regiment reorganised in Middlesex in the Home counties of England during the 18th Century from earlier precursor units. It later became part of the Middlesex Regiment. Primarily intended for home ...

for 56 years.National Archives
/ref> Wood remained colonel of the Militia and encamped with them at

Aldershot Aldershot ( ) is a town in the Rushmoor district, Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme north-east corner of the county, south-west of London. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Farnborough/Aldershot built-up are ...

in his eightieth year. He succeeded to his mother's estates in 1820 and to his father's estates in 1835.

Personal life

On 23 December 1801, he married Lady Caroline Stewart, daughter of

Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry PC (Ire) (1739–1821), was a County Down landowner, Irish Volunteer, and member of the Irish Parliament who, exceptionally for an Ulster Scot and Presbyterian, rose within the ranks of Ireland's ...

and

Frances Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry Frances Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry (''née'' Pratt; 15 April 1751 – 18 January 1833), was an English aristocrat and mistress of a large landed and politically connected household in late Georgian Ireland. From her husband's mansion at ...

(daughter of the Whig politician

Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden, Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, PC (baptism, baptised 21 March 1714 – 18 April 1794) was an English lawyer, judge and Whig (British political faction), Whig politician who was first to hold the titl ...

). Together, they had four sons and two daughters, including: * Thomas Wood (1804–1872), who served as MP for

; he married Frances Smyth, a daughter of

John Henry Smyth John Henry Smyth (20 March 1780 – 20 October 1822) was a Whig member of Parliament for Cambridge University from 9 June 1812 until his death. Early life Smyth was born on 20 March 1780. He was one of four sons and two daughters born to Lady ...

and Lady Elizabeth Anne Smyth (daughter of

George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton George Henry FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton (14 January 1760 – 28 September 1844), styled Earl of Euston until 1811, was a British Peerage, peer and British Whig Party, Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1782 to 1811 when h ...

). * Sir Charles Alexander Wood (1810–1890), who married Sophia Ann Brownrigg, a daughter of John Studholme Brownrigg, a prominent merchant and MP for

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. Wood and his wife enjoyed the friendship of members of the royal family.

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...

visited the Woods at Gwernyfed and other royals visited them at Littleton.

William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded hi ...

nominated Wood to be one of his executors. He died at home in Littleton, at the age of 82.

References

External links

*
Wood, Thomas, (1777-1860), MP for Brecon
at

The National Archives National archives are the archives of a country. The concept evolved in various nations at the dawn of modernity based on the impact of nationalism upon bureaucratic processes of paperwork retention. Conceptual development From the Middle Ages i ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Thomas 1777 births 1860 deaths People educated at Harrow School Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford UK MPs 1806–1807 UK MPs 1807–1812 UK MPs 1812–1818 UK MPs 1818–1820 UK MPs 1820–1826 UK MPs 1826–1830 UK MPs 1830–1831 UK MPs 1831–1832 UK MPs 1832–1835 UK MPs 1835–1837 UK MPs 1837–1841 UK MPs 1841–1847 Tory MPs (pre-1834) Conservative Party (UK) MPs for Welsh constituencies High sheriffs of Brecknockshire Middlesex Militia officers