Benjamin Wood (MP)
British Whig politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Benjamin Wood (1787 – 13 August 1845)[1] was a British Whig politician.[2][3][4] He was Member of Parliament for Southwark from 24 January 1840 until his death in 1845
John Humphery
John Humphery
Benjamin Wood | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Southwark | |
| In office 24 January 1840 – 13 August 1845 | |
| Preceded by | Daniel Whittle Harvey John Humphery |
| Succeeded by | William Molesworth John Humphery |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1787 |
| Died | 13 August 1845 (aged 57–58) |
| Party | Whig |
Life
Benjamin Wood was born in Tiverton, Devon, the son of William Wood (died 1809), a serge maker and a Dissenter. An older brother was Sir Matthew Wood, 1st Baronet (1768 – 1843)[5] also a Whig politician. Benjamin Wood was a partner with his brother in the hops-trading business, Wood, Field & Wood.[5]
Wood twice stood unsuccessfully in the Tiverton constituency as a Whig candidate. In both the 1832 general election and the 1833 Tiverton by-election he lost to Radicals. He stood in Kingston upon Hull in 1837.
Wood was elected as the Whig MP for Southwark at the by-election in 1840 caused by the resignation of Daniel Whittle Harvey. He held the seat until his death at Eltham Lodge in Kent in 1845.[4][6]
Family
In October 1815 in Kenwyn in Cornwall, he married Anna Maria Michell (1791–1889) daughter of Admiral Sampson Michell and sister of Admiral Frederick Thomas Michell and Charles Collier Michell.[8]
A dispute about his widow's will was a possible factor in the divorce of Katharine O'Shea (née Wood) and the downfall of Charles Stewart Parnell