Rushden Research Group: E G Wood

Edward George Wood

Ted Wood - artist

Ted with his mother & two sisters

Edward George Wood was born on 16th September 1907. His father, William John (baptised 20th June 1869, son of John and Ann, of the Waggon and Horses) was a carpenter and joiner and had built his family home at 22 Fitzwilliam Street, which had an orchard adjoining into Duck Street. William married Ellen Wells Miller (born 1873, daughter of Frederick Miller and Mary), in 1889. (Note: Fred Miller was son of William Miller, landlord at the Griffin Inn, Higham Ferrers)

Edward had two older brothers, William born 30th May 1890 and Thomas Henry (Harry) born 7th December 1898, and three older sisters, Lily born 23rd April 1892, Amy 11th December 1895 and Annie 23rd April 1901. He went to Alfred Street infant and junior schools, and he left on 23rd December 1920. He had learned about the building trade from members of the family; grandfather John was a brickmaker and father William John a carpenter. Edward learned brick laying, and eventually became a teacher at a technical school. He branched out into teaching art and crafts.

Additional notes sent by Carol Brown (nee Wood) via email: Mr Wood had 5 grandchildren; his first grandchild was Carol Anne Wood born on 27 December 1950 to parents Robert Edward Wood and Doris Wood (his first wife whom he married in 1946). Carol married in 1970 and had two sons, Nicholas in 1974 and Christopher in 1976. This brings the total of great grandchildren to eleven.

from an unidentified newsclip c1972

Village artist wins medal

VILLAGE artist and pensioner Edward Wood won a silver medal with a collage he exhibited at this year's Paris Salon in the Champs-Elysees.

Mr Wood, a retired art and craft teacher living in Yelden, near Rushden, made the collage with colours cut from his wife's women’s magazines.

It is the second year Mr Wood, who is 65, has had work accepted for the Paris Salon—the French equivalent of the Royal Academy's summer exhibition. This year he had two collages on show.

Mr Wood, of Church Cottage, Yelden, will travel to London in September to collect his medal from a member of the French Embassy at the presentation of awards.

The collage, which won Mr Wood, a grandfather four times over, the Society of French Artists' Medal, showed a scene at Hampstead Heath Fair.

Artist Mr Edward Wood at work on a painting outside his home in Yelden.


A sketch for the painting right?	Duck Street, thought to be James Sargent's premises


Former Scanthorp Manor House	Duck Street Cottages - close to the family home his father built


Above: Cottages in Back Way now re-named Rectory Road George Street to the left and Succoth Place to the right
Right: Sketch of Rushden Hall showing a porch that was demolished


Two views - possibly Duck Street (above) and Yelden (right)?

Rushden Echo, 29th August 1930, transcribed by Kay Collins	Photos by digital camera from a microfilm screen
An Aristocrat Joins Rushden Council House Dwellers Our Cartoonist, Mr. E. G. Wood, of Higham-road, Rushden, presents a series of problems in this week’s cartoon. When an aristocrat “comes down” to living in a Rushden Council housing estate he likes to take his environment with him and at once is presented with the problem of whether environment changes the individual or the individual changes the environment. It appears that “East is East and West is West and ne’er the twain shall meet.” Or if they do, in this case, they meet but do not mix. When the aristocrat expected to change the habits of a community (we nearly said “China Town” as we have heard one housing estate called) he set himself a task,. The “kindly interest” displayed may be well intentioned, as of students wishing to learn how they should “carry on.” Incidentally the people in the middle of the scene probably feel most like “carrying on.” There are no byelaws to prevent spectators spectating even when the entertainment is so little intended for them. The prisoner at the bar may not feel the punishment is merited but that does not concern the kindly neighbours. All the same it might be well to remind them not to “torment the animals” in the “cage.” Any more aristocrats who want to enjoy their al fresco teas are hereby warned not to choose a spot where they will invite so many self-appointed students. Incidentally we do not believe that any Council Housing estate in Rushden can show such an audience all at one time.
	He loves his little garden Basking in the genial sunshine	The pleasant little lawn Delights of an al fresco meal

	And the kindly interest of the neighbours

Some Higham sketches