George William Wood (21 July 1781 – 3 October 1843) was an English businessman, Member of Parliament and leading member of civil society in Manchester.
Life George William Wood was born in Leeds, the son of William Wood, a Unitarian minister who was Joseph Priestley's successor at the Mill Hill Chapel, amateur botanist and campaigner against the Test Acts. His mother was Louisa Ann née Oates, the daughter of a wealthy Leeds family.Wykes (2004)
Wood moved to Manchester around 1801 and was elected to membership of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society on 24 April 1807.Complete List of the Members & Officers of the Manchester Literary & Philosophical Society. From its institution on February 28th 1781 to April, 1896. He became a prominent businessman there. But, as a memorial in the Upper Brook Street Chapel cited, "having early in life engaged in commercial pursuits ... he quitted the pursuits of wealth for the nobler objects of public usefulness." He was member of parliament for Lancashire South from 1832 to 1835, and for Kendal from 1837 until his death. He was a prime mover in the establishment of both the Royal Manchester Institution and the Manchester Mechanics' Institute,Kargon (1977) p.19 and was one of the two inaugural vice-presidents of the Manchester Athenaeum.Kargon (1977) p.171
He died suddenly of a stroke at a meeting of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society and was buried at the Upper Brook Street Chapel.The Times, 7 October 1843
Honours and offices Fellow of the Linnaean Society; Fellow of the Geological Society; Vice-president of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society.
References
Bibliography
Wykes, D. L. (2004) "Wood, William (1745–1808)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press. Retrieved 16 August 2007 (subscription required)
External links