Sir Matthew Wood, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Matthew Wood, 1st Baronet (2 June 1768 – 25 September 1843) was a British Whig politician.
and Tiverton, and his wife Catherine Cluse (died 1809). He was educated briefly at Blundell's School
, before being obliged to help his ailing father. He was apprenticed to his cousin, an Exeter chemist and druggist, but moved to London in 1790 to set himself up in business. On 5 November 1795 he married Maria Page, the daughter of John Page from Woodbridge
in Suffolk. They had six children.
He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
, a member of the Court of Aldermen of the City of London
, Sheriff of the City of London for 1809 and Lord Mayor of London
from 1815 to 1817. He was elected unopposed as a Member of Parliament
for the City of London
at a by-election in June 1817, following the resignation
of Harvey Christian Combe
MP. He held the seat until his death in 1843.
He was made a Baronet
in 1837, of Hatherley House in Gloucestershire
, the name of his country seat.
Life
Matthew Wood was the son of William Wood, a serge maker from ExeterExeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
and Tiverton, and his wife Catherine Cluse (died 1809). He was educated briefly at Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
, before being obliged to help his ailing father. He was apprenticed to his cousin, an Exeter chemist and druggist, but moved to London in 1790 to set himself up in business. On 5 November 1795 he married Maria Page, the daughter of John Page from Woodbridge
Woodbridge, Suffolk
Woodbridge is a town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England. It is in the East of England, not far from the coast. It lies along the River Deben, with a population of about 7,480. The town is served by Woodbridge railway station on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line. Woodbridge is twinned with...
in Suffolk. They had six children.
He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London, being a guild of the sellers of fish and seafood in the City...
, a member of the Court of Aldermen of the City of London
Court of Aldermen
The Court of Aldermen is an elected body forming part of the City of London Corporation. The Court of Aldermen is made up of the twenty five Aldermen of the City of London, presided over by the Lord Mayor...
, Sheriff of the City of London for 1809 and Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
from 1815 to 1817. He was elected unopposed as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the City of London
City of London (UK Parliament constituency)
The City of London was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950.-Boundaries and boundary...
at a by-election in June 1817, following the resignation
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
of Harvey Christian Combe
Harvey Christian Combe
Harvey Christian Combe was an English Whig politician.He was Lord Mayor of London in 1799.At the 1796 general election he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the City of London. He held the seat for 21 years, until he resigned from the House of Commons in 1817 by taking the Chiltern Hundreds...
MP. He held the seat until his death in 1843.
He was made a Baronet
Page Wood Baronets
The Wood, later Page Wood Baronetcy, of Hatherley House in the County of Gloucester, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 16 December 1837 for Matthew Wood, Lord Mayor of London from 1815 to 1817 and Whig Member of Parliament for the City of London from 1817 to...
in 1837, of Hatherley House in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, the name of his country seat.