Edgar Wood: A flamboyant Northern talent

Jan 5 2010 by Emma Davison, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

EDGAR WOOD was born on May 17, 1860.

He was the sixth of eight children born to Thomas Broadbent Wood and Mary Wood. Only three of the children lived to adulthood. The family lived in Middleton, Rochdale and Wood's father was a mill owner, a Unitarian, a Liberal and had a reputation as a strict disciplinarian. Edgar was educated at the local Queen Elizabeth Grammar School.

Edgar Wood practised from Manchester about the turn of the century and gained a considerable reputation both in Britain and abroad, notably in Germany. His work is principally domestic.

Ever the artist he would arrive at work wearing a large black cloak, lined with red silk, a flat, broad-brimmed hat and brandishing a silver handled cane. He said, “If an architect is not allowed to advertise his name he must advertise his personality.”

Edgar Wood died on October 12, 1935 at Monte Calvario and he is buried in Italy.

Huddersfield work

Briarcourt (1895)

East St Methodists (1895)

Clergy House (Almondbury (1898))

Norman Terrace, Lindley (1898)

Banney Royd, Edgerton (1900)

Lindley Clock Tower (1902)

Lindley Gatehouse (1900)