John Wood

Summary

born: about 1832 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England,
occupation: Railway Plate Layer.
married: Alice Ryan
children: Alice Jane, Joseph, Mary Jane, Eliza Mary, Jane and Maria.
died: between 1891 and 1901

Notes

1881 census: at 14 Barnsley Buildings, Baildon, York, England. John Wood, head of household living with wife Alice and 6 children. Age 49. Occupation Railway Platelayer, born Leeds, York. [complete entry]
Brought up as a Methodist, converted about time of death to a Catholic
Was said to be a Lord Mayor of Morley (between Leeds & Bradford) - Don't think this correct.

Where He Lived?

in 1864 lived at 18 Twenty Row, Richmond
in 1881 John census lived at 14 Barnsley Buildings, Baildon

1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census: 17 Bottons Place, Richmond, Richmond upon Thames, Surrey, England

First name(s)	Last name	Relationship	Marital status	Sex	Age	Birth year	Occupation	Birth place
John	Wood	Head	-	Male	38	1833	Platelayer	Yorkshire, England
Alice	Wood	Wife	-	Female	43	1828	-	Fulham, Middlesex, England
Alice	Wood	Daughter	-	Female	8	1863	-	Richmond, Surrey, England
Joseph	Wood	Son	-	Male	7	1864	-	Richmond, Surrey, England
Mary	Wood	Daughter	-	Female	6	1865	-	Richmond, Surrey, England
Eliza	Wood	Daughter	-	Female	4	1867	-	Richmond, Surrey, England
Jane	Wood	Daughter	-	Female	1	1870	-	Richmond, Surrey, England

1881 14, Barnsley Buildings, Baildon, Wharfedale, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (West Riding), England

First name(s)	Last name	Relationship	Marital status	Sex	Age	Birth year	Occupation	Birth place
John	Wood	Head	Married	Male	49	1832	Railway Platelayer	Leeds, Yorkshire, England
Alice	Wood	Wife	Married	Female	49	1832	-	Richmond, Surrey, England
Joseph	Wood	Son	Single	Male	19	1862	Worsted Weaver	Richmond, Surrey, England
Alice	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	19	1862	Worsted Weaver	Richmond, Surrey, England
Mary	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	16	1865	Worsted Weaver	Richmond, Surrey, England
Eliza	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	14	1867	Worsted Spinner	Richmond, Yorkshire, England
Jane	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	12	1869	Worsted Spinner	Richmond, Surrey, England
Maria	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	5	1876	-	Richmond, Surrey, England

1891: Baildon Bridge, Baildon, Wharfedale, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (West Riding), England

First name(s)	Last name	Relationship	Marital status	Sex	Age	Birth year	Occupation	Birth place
Alice	Wood	Head	Widow	Female	61	1830	-	Fulham, Middlesex, England
Joseph	Wood	Son	Single	Male	27	1864	Plush Weaver	Richmond, Surrey, England
Alice	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	28	1863	Worsted Weaver	Richmond, Surrey, England
Eliza	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	24	1867	Worsted Weaver	Richmond, Surrey, England
Jane	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	21	1870	Worsted Weaver	Richmond, Surrey, England
Maria	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	15	1876	Worsted Weaver	Idle, Yorkshire, England
Kate	McZenzie	Granddaughter	Single	Female	5	1886	Scholar	Shipley, Yorkshire, England

1901: 7, Baildon Bridge, Baildon, Wharfedale, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (West Riding), England

First name(s)	Last name	Relationship	Marital status	Sex	Age	Birth year	Occupation	Birth place
Alice	Wood	Head	Widow	Female	70	1831	-	Hammersmith, Middlesex, England
Eliza	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	31	1870	Woollen Weaver	Richmond, Surrey, England
Jane	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	29	1872	Woollen Weaver	Richmond, Surrey, England

1911: 53 Baildon Bridge Baildon, Baildon, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (West Riding), England

First name(s)	Last name	Relationship	Marital status	Sex	Age	Birth year	Occupation	Birth place
Alice	Wood	Head	Widow	Female	79	1832	Nothing	London Fulham
Eliza	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	40	1871	Worsted Weaver	Surrey Richmond
Jane	Wood	Daughter	Single	Female	39	1872	Worsted Weaver	Surrey Richmond
Thomas	Walker	Son In Law	Married	Male	55	1856	Currier	Yorks Bingley
Alice	Walker	Daughter Wife	Married	Female	48	1863	House Work	Surrey Richmond
John William	Walker	Grandson	Single	Male	14	1897	Worsted Spinner	Yorks Baildon

What is a Platelayer?

John worked as a plate layer. A "plate layer" ("platelayer" is also correct) is a person who works on the track -- that is, the structure, including ballast, sleepers, baseplates, spikes and rails -- that supports the train wheels. The term is a survivor from the days before the first railways, when iron plates were laid on wooden sleepers to keep cartwheels from sinking into soft ground, and to allow horses to pull greater loads -- thus, "plateways" and "platelayer". When rails took the place of plates, the "plateway" became a "railway", but the term "platelayer" continued to be used until quite recently.