Wood was the son of Captain Patrick Wood of Dennistoun (1783-1846), an officer in the East India Company's military service from Elie in Fife,[2] and his wife Jane née Patterson from Edinburgh.[3] His father came to Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen's Land) on the "Castle Forbes" in March 1822 and was among the earliest European settlers in the Bothwell district. He had twice circumnavigated the globe.[4] Myles Patterson and his two daughters (including Jane) had arrived on the same ship. Captain Wood married Jane in 1828.[5] Patterson's other daughter Jamima married Sir Robert Officer, making John Wood the cousin of Charles Myles Officer.[6]
John was born at the Wood family property 'Dennistoun' near Bothwell, Tasmania, the eldest of seven children born to Patrick and Jane.[1] His mother died in 1837 and John was sent to Scotland to stay with relatives. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy then studied law at Edinburgh University.[5] In 1845 he went to London in England to complete his Law studies, and entered as a student at the Middle Temple in November 1845, but was not called to the Bar till January 1852.[2]
Career in England and Victoriaedit
The grave of Wood's parents in Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh
In 1853 Wood went out to Victoria and entered on the practice of his profession before the Supreme Court in Melbourne. In March 1857 he was appointed Solicitor-General in the first John O'Shanassy Government,[7] which however, only held office until 29 April.[2] On 1 April 1857 he was returned to the Legislative Assembly for the Ovens district.[3] In the Nicholson administration, Wood was Attorney-General from 27 October 1859 to 26 November 1860,[3] and he was Minister of Justice in the third O'Shanassy Cabinet from November 1861 to June 1863.[3] Having been defeated for the Ovens, and subsequently for Gippsland, Wood ultimately secured his return for Warrnambool.[3]
Soon after his retirement in 1864,[3] with his colleagues in the O'Shanassy Ministry, Wood left Victoria, and took up his residence in London, where he practised his profession mainly before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in colonial appeal cases. In 1889 he returned to Victoria, and resumed practice at the local Bar.[2]
Wood returned to Bothwell to manage Dennistoun in 1898 with his wife, Frances Jane née Potts, who was born in New Norfolk and whom he had married in London in 1870. They had four sons and four daughters.
Wood held the seat of Cumberland in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1903 to 1909. In 1904 he was approached to become either Attorney-General or Premier, but turned the offers down. In 1903 he published a volume of poetry, he also collected a fine library which was destroyed along with the house at Dennistoun in 1909.[1][9]
He died at Bothwell on 23 October 1914,[10] and was survived by his wife who died in 1917, three of his four sons, and four daughters.[1]
john, wood, australian, politician, john, dennistoun, wood, july, 1829, october, 1914, australian, politician, member, victorian, legislative, assembly, later, tasmanian, house, assembly, contents, early, life, career, england, victoria, return, tasmania, refe. John Dennistoun Wood 4 July 1829 23 October 1914 1 was an Australian politician a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly and later of the Tasmanian House of Assembly 1 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career in England and Victoria 3 Return to Tasmania 4 ReferencesEarly life editWood was the son of Captain Patrick Wood of Dennistoun 1783 1846 an officer in the East India Company s military service from Elie in Fife 2 and his wife Jane nee Patterson from Edinburgh 3 His father came to Tasmania then known as Van Diemen s Land on the Castle Forbes in March 1822 and was among the earliest European settlers in the Bothwell district He had twice circumnavigated the globe 4 Myles Patterson and his two daughters including Jane had arrived on the same ship Captain Wood married Jane in 1828 5 Patterson s other daughter Jamima married Sir Robert Officer making John Wood the cousin of Charles Myles Officer 6 John was born at the Wood family property Dennistoun near Bothwell Tasmania the eldest of seven children born to Patrick and Jane 1 His mother died in 1837 and John was sent to Scotland to stay with relatives He was educated at Edinburgh Academy then studied law at Edinburgh University 5 In 1845 he went to London in England to complete his Law studies and entered as a student at the Middle Temple in November 1845 but was not called to the Bar till January 1852 2 Career in England and Victoria edit nbsp The grave of Wood s parents in Dean Cemetery Edinburgh In 1853 Wood went out to Victoria and entered on the practice of his profession before the Supreme Court in Melbourne In March 1857 he was appointed Solicitor General in the first John O Shanassy Government 7 which however only held office until 29 April 2 On 1 April 1857 he was returned to the Legislative Assembly for the Ovens district 3 In the Nicholson administration Wood was Attorney General from 27 October 1859 to 26 November 1860 3 and he was Minister of Justice in the third O Shanassy Cabinet from November 1861 to June 1863 3 Having been defeated for the Ovens and subsequently for Gippsland Wood ultimately secured his return for Warrnambool 3 Soon after his retirement in 1864 3 with his colleagues in the O Shanassy Ministry Wood left Victoria and took up his residence in London where he practised his profession mainly before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in colonial appeal cases In 1889 he returned to Victoria and resumed practice at the local Bar 2 Around 1866 Wood Street in North Melbourne was named after him 8 Return to Tasmania editWood returned to Bothwell to manage Dennistoun in 1898 with his wife Frances Jane nee Potts who was born in New Norfolk and whom he had married in London in 1870 They had four sons and four daughters Wood held the seat of Cumberland in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1903 to 1909 In 1904 he was approached to become either Attorney General or Premier but turned the offers down In 1903 he published a volume of poetry he also collected a fine library which was destroyed along with the house at Dennistoun in 1909 1 9 He died at Bothwell on 23 October 1914 10 and was survived by his wife who died in 1917 three of his four sons and four daughters 1 References edit a b c d e Eastwood Jill Wood John Dennistoun 1829 1914 Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University ISSN 1833 7538 Retrieved 14 April 2013 a b c d Mennell Philip 1892 Wood Hon John Dennistoun The Dictionary of Australasian Biography London Hutchinson amp Co via Wikisource a b c d e f John Dennistoun Wood Re Member a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851 Parliament of Victoria Archived from the original on 23 April 2023 Tomb of Captain Patrick Wood Dean Cemetery Edinburgh a b Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University Hone J Ann Officer Charles Myles 1827 1904 Australian Dictionary of Biography Australian National University Retrieved 30 January 2022 Appointment Solicitor General John Wood Victoria Government Gazette Victorian Government Printer 11 March 1857 p 1857 469 Wood Street Melbourne Streets Retrieved 30 January 2022 John Dennistoun Wood Members of the Parliament of Tasmania Retrieved 26 July 2022 OBITUARY The Mercury No 13 930 Tasmania Australia 24 October 1914 Retrieved 30 January 2022 Victorian Legislative Assembly Preceded byDaniel Cameron Member for Ovenssole member Apr 1857 Sep 1859 With Alexander Keefer Oct 1859 Mar 1860 John Donald Mar 1860 Jul 1861 Succeeded byWilliam Charles WeekesPeter Wright Preceded byThomas Manifold Member for WarrnamboolDecember 1861 August 1864 Succeeded byJohn Dane Political offices Preceded byHenry Samuel Chapman Attorney General of Victoria27 October 1859 25 November 1860 Succeeded byRichard Davies Ireland Preceded byRobert Sitwell Solicitor General of Victoria11 March 1857 29 April 1857 Succeeded byThomas Fellows Tasmanian House of Assembly Preceded byNicholas John Brown Member for Cumberland1903 1909 Hare Clark electoral model adopted Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Wood Australian politician amp oldid 1177002903, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
