Brief profile of Henry Wood by Don Ambrose

---

Player:

H Wood

---

WOOD, Henry. (“Harry”)
Professional.
Born at Dartford, Kent, 14th December 1853.
Died at Waddon, Surrey, 30th April 1919.
Educated at Dartford School, where he learnt his cricket. He first went out as a professional in 1877 at Stanislaus College, Tullamore, Ireland, and the following year he was at the Private Banks Club, at Catford Bridge, and in 1880-81 at Dover. During this time he played nine matches for Kent. In 1881 he was engaged by W.S. Trollope to take charge during the winter months of the Streatham Cricket Ground, in Surrey and in 1882 and 1883 he was at Streatham. His first match for Surrey was in 1884 and he was engaged at The Oval from then until 1900, playing 286 times for Surrey and in 316 first-class matches in all. He toured South Africa in 1888/9 and 1891/2, playing in four Test Matches. He was a useful wicket-keeper and his only century was in a Test Match at Cape Town. Scores & Biographies in 1895 reported that his eyesight was failing so it is not perhaps so surprising that he became a first-class umpire 1910-12!
1878-81 he was working at Penn’s Engineering Works, Greenwich. He died after a lengthy illness.
At the time of the 1881 Census, he was unmarried, aged 27, a cricketer, boarding at 29 Morden Street, Greenwich, Kent, the home of William Goddard, aged 59 and engineers labourer, and his wife Sarah, aged 48. Their son William T. is aged 18 a carpenter and John aged 14 a gas fitter. They also have Ann E. a daughter aged 9.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Don Ambrose)