Thomas Wood (died 1502) judge facts for kids
Sir Thomas Wood was an important English lawyer and judge who lived a long time ago, in the 1400s and early 1500s. He became a very high-ranking judge called the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. This meant he was in charge of a major court in England. He was also known as Wode in older spellings.
Where Did He Come From?
We don't know for sure where Thomas Wood was born. Some historians think he was born around 1449 in or near Oxfordshire. Others suggest he might have been born closer to Hampshire or Wiltshire, before 1452. We first hear about him in records from 1473. At that time, he was living in London, likely studying to become a lawyer.
His Career as a Lawyer and Judge
Thomas Wood trained to be a lawyer at a famous place called the Middle Temple. By 1475, he was already working as a lawyer for Winchester College. In 1478, he started working in public service. He bought land in a place called Childrey in Berkshire.
He was made a Justice of the Peace (JP) for Berkshire, which meant he helped keep law and order. He stayed a JP for his whole life. He was also chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Wallingford.
From 1483, he worked on different royal projects for Berkshire. In 1486, he became a serjeant-at-law, which was a senior type of lawyer. From 1487, he was a JP for five counties in the west of England. He also worked as a judge there until 1500. In 1488, he was promoted to a King's Serjeant, a special lawyer who worked for the King.
In 1489, he helped manage the lands of a young boy named Thomas Stucley, who was 13 years old. On November 24, 1495, Thomas Wood became a judge in the Court of Common Pleas. This was one of the most important courts in England. In 1496, King Henry VII chose him to be one of the people who would look after his will.
On October 28, 1500, Thomas Wood became the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. This was a very high position! The next year, he was made a knight. He was the head of the court for only a short time because he passed away on August 31, 1502. He was buried at Reading Abbey. In his will, he left a gold ring and two books to Sir Thomas Frowyk, who took over his job as Chief Justice.
His Family Life
Thomas Wood had a daughter named Anne (or Elizabeth) with his first wife, whose name we don't know. His first wife passed away before 1491. His daughter Anne married Thomas Stucley, the young man whose lands Thomas Wood had helped manage. Thomas Stucley later became a knight and a Sheriff of Devon. Anne and Thomas Stucley had a son named Sir Hugh Stucley.
After 1491, Thomas Wood married Margaret Delamare. She was the widow of Robert Lenham and the daughter of Sir Thomas Delamare. Margaret passed away on December 5, 1499. She had a young son named Henry Lenham from her first marriage, and Thomas Wood took care of him. Margaret was buried at Tidmarsh.
