Biography:
James Wood (678)
1841 –06/12/1908
James Wood (678)
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James Wood (1841-1908)
James was the son of James and Fanny (Frances) Wood who are buried in plot 151.
James was born in Berkhamstead in 1840 and baptised at St Peter’s on the 27th September the same year.
His father was an iron founder who began a business in iron fencing, wire and similar products at a site on the High Street, now Woods Garden Centre.
James senior died in January 1861, but Fanny, his widow, took over the business as F. Wood & Son. Along with his brother Henry she and James were listed as iron & wire work manufacturers in the census of that year.
John married Ann Timson, the daughter of John Timson, a gardener, and Lydia, in 1866. James and Ann must have known each other since childhood because the families were living next door to each other in the 1851 census when Ann was eight and James ten.
Their first child Ida was born in 1868, followed by Ernest in 1870.
By 1871 James was running the business alone and employing four men and two boys. His mother Fanny and his young brother William were also living with the family.
Three more children joined the family – John in 1874, Avis Annie in 1876 and Augustus William in 1880.
The business was clearly flourishing because by the 1881 Census James was employing ten men and two boys and Ann had the help of a female domestic servants in the house.
Babies Mildred (1883) and Catherine Lydia (1887) joined the family but sadly James and Ann’s memorial mentions two children who died in infancy.
As the business developed James and Ann moved to a house called ‘Capri’ in Park View Road, which is almost opposite the business, and James died there 6 December 1908. His will mentions his wife Ann, his sons Ernest and John, iron founders, and his son-in-law Octavius Paul Timson, the parish clerk, who married Avis Annie in 1899.
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James Wood (1841-1908)
James was the son of James and Fanny (Frances) Wood who are buried in plot 151.
James was born in Berkhamstead in 1840 and baptised at St Peter’s on the 27th September the same year.
His father was an iron founder who began a business in iron fencing, wire and similar products at a site on the High Street, now Woods Garden Centre.
James senior died in January 1861, but Fanny, his widow, took over the business as F. Wood & Son. Along with his brother Henry she and James were listed as iron & wire work manufacturers in the census of that year.
John married Ann Timson, the daughter of John Timson, a gardener, and Lydia, in 1866. James and Ann must have known each other since childhood because the families were living next door to each other in the 1851 census when Ann was eight and James ten.
Their first child Ida was born in 1868, followed by Ernest in 1870.
By 1871 James was running the business alone and employing four men and two boys. His mother Fanny and his young brother William were also living with the family.
Three more children joined the family – John in 1874, Avis Annie in 1876 and Augustus William in 1880.
The business was clearly flourishing because by the 1881 Census James was employing ten men and two boys and Ann had the help of a female domestic servants in the house.
Babies Mildred (1883) and Catherine Lydia (1887) joined the family but sadly James and Ann’s memorial mentions two children who died in infancy.
As the business developed James and Ann moved to a house called ‘Capri’ in Park View Road, which is almost opposite the business, and James died there 6 December 1908. His will mentions his wife Ann, his sons Ernest and John, iron founders, and his son-in-law Octavius Paul Timson, the parish clerk, who married Avis Annie in 1899.
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