Absalom Reade Wood was born in Wolstanton, Staffordshire, England on 20 December 1852 and was articled to Edward Elvine Scrivener (1838?-1906), Alexander Scrivener (1852-1921) and Edward Douglas Mountford in Hanley, Staffordshire in 1869. He also attended Hanley School of Art.
He commenced independent practice as an architect in Tunstall, Staffordshire in 1874. He was surveyor to the Tunstall Urban District Council from 1875 to 1911, and architect to the Education Committees of Burslem and Tunstall from 1892 to 1911. He was in partnership with John Hutchings (1868-1945) and later with Harold Goldstraw (1888-1974) and William Harold Wood (1881-1941).
He was a Member of the Society of Architects (MSA). He died in Wolstanton, Staffordshire on 21 December 1922
Drill Hall, Tunstall; M. & L. Bank, Tunstall; Public Park, Tunstall; Town Hall, Tunstall; free library, baths, and museum, Tunstall; St. Andrew's Church, Porthlll; Wesleyan Church, Porthill ; Congregational Church, Burslem; Wedgwood Art Schools, Burslem; Wycllffe Hall, Burslem; Drill hall and gymnasium, Burslem; Congregational Church, Hanley; County Police Station, Stoke-on-Trent: County Police Station, Longton; Girls' High School enl., Newcastle; Middle Boys' School enl., Newcastle; Town Hall, Kidsgrove ; over 20 public elementary schools in Burslem, Tunstall, and Wolstanton.
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001