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Biography of Matthew Wood 1st Baronet 1768-1843

Paternal Family Tree: Wood of Hatherley House

Before 2nd June 1768 [his father] William Wood and [his mother] Catherine Cluse were married.

On 2nd June 1768 Matthew Wood 1st Baronet was born to [his father] William Wood and [his mother] Catherine Cluse.

On 5th November 1795 Matthew Wood 1st Baronet (age 27) and Maria Page were married.

In 1796 [his son] Reverend John Page-Wood 2nd Baronet was born to Matthew Wood 1st Baronet (age 27) and [his wife] Maria Page.

In 1798 [his mother] Catherine Cluse died.

On 29th November 1801 [his son] William Page Wood 1st Baron Hatherley was born to Matthew Wood 1st Baronet (age 33) and [his wife] Maria Page. He married 1830 Charlotte Moor.

On 4th January 1804 [his son] Western Wood was born to Matthew Wood 1st Baronet (age 35) and [his wife] Maria Page.

Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes

Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

In 1809 [his father] William Wood died.

In 1809 Matthew Wood 1st Baronet (age 40) was appointed Sheriff of London.

In 1815 Matthew Wood 1st Baronet (age 46) was elected Lord Mayor of London.

In 1817 Matthew Wood 1st Baronet (age 48) was elected Lord Mayor of London.

In June 1817 Matthew Wood 1st Baronet (age 48) was elected MP City of London unopposed at a by-election. He held the seat until his death.

On 7th June 1820 Charles Cavendish Fulke Greville (age 26) noted in his diary "The Queen (age 52) arrived in London yesterday at seven o'clock ... She travelled in an open landau, Alderman Wood (age 52) sitting by her side and Lady Anne Hamilton (age 54) and another woman opposite. Everybody was disgusted at the vulgarity of Wood in sitting in the place of honour, while the Duke of Hamilton's (age 52) sister was sitting backwards in the carriage"

In 1830 [his son] William Page Wood 1st Baron Hatherley (age 28) and [his daughter-in-law] Charlotte Moor were married. There was no issue from the marriage.

In 1837 Matthew Wood 1st Baronet (age 68) was created 1st Baronet Wood of Hatherley House in Gloucestershire.

On 25th September 1843 Matthew Wood 1st Baronet (age 75) died. His son John (age 47) succeeded 2nd Baronet Wood of Hatherley House in Gloucestershire.

On 2nd July 1848 [his former wife] Maria Page died.