Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Henry Wood was born on 19th of October 1894 in Hackney, London to bootmaker Alfred Wood and Hannah Jane Wood nee Fewster.

Births Sep 1895   Wood Henry Hackney 1b 534

Henry´s father Alfred Wood was born about 1850 in Hackney, London to bootmaker Thomas Wood. His mother Hannah Jane Fewster was born about 1853 in Westminster, London to shoe maker James Fewster.

Alfred Wood and Hannah Jane Fewster married on  25th  May 1874 at St John´s of Jerusalem church in South Hackney, Middlesex.

Marriages Jun 1874  
Fewster Hannah Jane Hackney 1b 733
WOOD Alfred             Hackney 1b 733

 
At the time of the marriage, the couple lived in South Hackney and Alfred was working as a bootmaker.

Henry had two siblings: Albert George born in the 2nd quarter of 1877 in Bethnal Green, London and Daisy Mary A born in the 2nd quarter of 1885 also in Bethnal Green, East London.

At the time of the 1891 Census, the family lived at 180 Hackney Road, Bethnal Green, London. Alfred was still working as a bootmaker and Hannah was at home. Of their children: Albert was a marble paper apprentice and Daisy was at school.

On  23rd April 1900 Henry was admitted to the Dorking British School, he had attended St Paul’s School before this. At the time of his entry admission, the family lived at 4 Rothes Road, Dorking. Dorking is a market town in Surrey, England between Ranmore Common in the North Downs range of hills and Leith Hill in the Greensand Ridge, centred 21 miles (34 km) from London.

At the time of the 1901 Census, the family had moved to 21 Rothes Road in Dorking. Alfred continued working as a bootmaker and Hannah was still at home. Of their children: Daisy was working as a dressmaker and Henry was at school.

At the time of the 1911 Census, the family now lived at 66 Rothes Road, Dorking. Alfred was still working as a bootmaker and Hannah was still at home. Their children, Daisy was a tailoress and Henry an assistant grocer. The accommodation had seven rooms. Hannah Jane stated that she had given birth to three children.

In 1915 Henry Wood had emigrated with Mabel Gwendoline Brett  to Australia and married in Victoria, Australia. Mabel was born in the 1st quarter of 1895 in Dorking, Surrey to jobbing gardener James Brett, born about 1854 in Blackheath, Kent and Philis [sic] Brett nee Killick, born about 1860 in Leigh, Surrey.

At the time of the 1911 Census, the Brett family lived at 5 Mount Street, Dorking, Surrey. James was working as a jobbing gardener and Philis was at home. Of their children: Lily Agnes was working as a domestic servant, Mabel was a dressmaker and Reginald James was a scholar. The family further comprised of James´s brother in law, carter, Martin Killick. The accommodation had five rooms. Philis stated that she had given brth to seven children of whom six were still living.

Henry enlisted on 15th of February 1915 in the Australian Army. He became part of C Company, the 22nd Infantry Battalion of the Australian Army. The 22nd Battalion formed part of the 6th Infantry Brigade.

At the time of his enlistment Henry was working as a tea blender and lived with his wife Mabel with  Mrs Sheldon, Thornhill, Penders-street, Northcote, Virginia, Australia. His religion was Presbyterian. His attestation form is incorrect in that he stated he had been born in Dorking.

Henry embarked on 10th  May 1915 from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Ulysses (A38) for Egypt. His last unit was the 6th Australian Machine Gun Company. He was killed in an action, aged 23 on 12th of April 1917 in France. His body was never found.

He is one of 8 Australian casualties of the Great War who are honoured on the Dorking War Memorial.

The names of some of Australian casualties are also on the
Dorking United Reform Church Memorial-he is one of them.