Frederick Wood

Principal Engineer

Oxford Canal Company (1831 - 1853 )

Around the time of the work to duplicate the three Locks at Hillmorton the Principle Engineer was Frederick Wood. Wood was a highly respected resident of Rugby and was essentially a self made man.

Little is known about Wood’s early life. His obituary in the Rugby Advertiser says his parents lived at Hayeshall Farm Fillongley  while all his census returns gave his place of birth as Southam.

He started his career with the Oxford Canal Company in 1824 aged 17 as assistant to Mr Tawny the then Chief Engineer to the Oxford Canal Company. Six years later he Married Jemima Elizabeth Worth at St Peters church in Dunchurch where they lived.. In 1831 Tawny dies and Wood succeeds him as principal Engineer.

Around the same time Wood was also appointed Clerk to the Rugby Petty Sessions

During his career with the Oxford Canal Company as well as numerous plans, sections and drawings, between 1830s and 1840s Wood produced a number of "Chain Books". A roughly A5 sized calf-bound Book containing a survey of the Oxford Canal, with every two pages covering a mile and listing all the weirs, locks, bridges, wharves, toll offices and other features, with details about them

In 1853 he transferred his services to the London and North-Western Railway Company and he now resides at 25 Lawrence Sheriff Street, Rugby. (His only residence in Rugby still standing  as one half of the Diamond Hotel today) He assumed the position of Chief of the Estate Department, a role he filled admirably

From 1850 to 1875 Wood sat as a member of the Rugby Local Board of Health. Local Health Boards were sanctioned by parliament to improve sanitation following numerous outbreaks of Cholera across the country. Wood, would have first-hand knowledge of the effects of Cholera since a party of navvies digging the new cuts at Newbold in the 1830s contracted Cholera

Wood was also closely associated with the Rugby Gas Company. When at a public meeting in 1838 it was decided to light the town with gas he was chosen to carry the resolution into effect and in 1856 he was elected a trustee of the Gas Company. In 1871 he became chairman of the company until his retirement in 1880

In 1868 he was a founder member of the Institution of Surveyors (now the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors)

Wood retired to Brighton in 1880 and remained there until his death in 1893.

Wood had numerous children with his wife Jemima but only one son Frank Wood survived him. Hubert the second son a former pupil of  Rugby School entered the Roman Catholic Communion and Wood built him a church at Lewes but Hubert died in the prime of life.

After his death his remains were returned to Rugby by train and a burial service lead by Rev F.P. Synge took place at the Parish Church. Later his coffin was lowered into the family vault in the Holy Trinity Churchyard.