Edgar Wood was born the son of a mill owner in Middleton, near Manchester, Lancashire, England, on 17 May 1860. He trained as an architect with William Mills (1814-1905) and James Murgatroyd (1830-1894) in Manchester from 1878 to 1883. Having qualified in 1885 Wood set up in private practice that year in Middleton. He moved his office to Manchester in 1892. From 1900 to 1922 Wood was in partnership with James Henry Sellers1861-1954).
In addition to his work as an architect Wood designed jewellery and furniture. A photograph of a sideboard and chair in Spanish mahogany inlaid with holly and ebony, designed by Wood is featured in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1906 (p.51). He was also a painter and exhibited at the Royal Academy in London.
He was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1885 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1911. He was a founder member of the Northern Art Workers Guild and was Master of the Guild in 1897.
Wood retired in 1922 and built a house, Port Calvario, in Port Marizio, Italy where he died on 12 October 1935. An exhibition of the work of Wood and Sellers - 'Partnership in Style: Edgar Wood and J. Henry Sellers', was held at Manchester City Art Galleries in 1978. [See also: Sellers, John Henry]
Architectural projects by Wood included the Manchester and County Bank building in Long Street, Middleton (1889); Temple Street Baptist Church in Middleton (1889); the Manchester and Salford Bank building in Middleton (1892), several private houses in Middleton, Rochdale, Hale and Huddersfield (between 1891-98); Silver Street, Rochdale (1898); Long Street Wesleyan Church and Schools in Middleton (1899-1901); Banney Royd in Edgerton, Halifax (1900); alterations to Newbold Revel in Stratton-under-Fosse, Warwickshire (1900); the Clock Tower in Lindley, Huddersfield (1901-02); solicitors' offices in King Street, Oldham (1901-02); Richardson's Estate in Hale, Cheshire (1901-02); Gatehouse in Crosland Road, lidley (1902); the First Church of Christ Scientist in Victoria Park, Manchester (1903); a house at Dore in Sheffield (1904); four houses in Plane Tree Road, Hale, Cheshire (1907); the Pilkington Tiles Pavilion at the White City Exhibition on London (1908); houses for the Fairfield Moravian Settlement in Droylsden, Manchester (1913-39); and Royd House. Wood's own house) at 224 Hale Road in Hale, Cheshire (1914).
See also:
Architects of Greater Manchester 1800-1940
Source of Images
Archer, John H. G. 'An introduction to two Manchester architects: Edgar Wood and John Henry Sellers'. RIBA Journal vol. 62, December 1954 pp. 50-53
Archer, John. H. G. Edgar Wood (1860-1935): A Manchester Art Nouveau Architect. Manchester. Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1966 [Reprinted from the Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society vol. 33-74, 1963-64 pp.153-187]
Archer, John H. G. ‘Edgar Wood and J. Henry Sellers: a decade of partnership and experiment’ in Edwardian Architecture and its Origins. Edited by Alastair Service. London: The Architectural Press Limited, 1975 pp. 372-384
Archer, John H. G. 'Edgar Wood and Mackintosh' in Mackintosh and His Contemporaries in Europe and America, edited by Patrick Nutgens. London: John Murray, 1988 pp. 58-74
Armstrong, Barrie and Armstrong, Wendy. The Arts and Crafts movement in the North West of England: a handbook. Wetherby, England: Oblong Creative Ltd., 2006
Bunney, Michael. 'Edgar Wood'. Moderne Bauformen vol. 6, 1907 pp. 49-76
Button, Roger. Arts and Crafts Churches of Great Britain: Architects, Craftsmen and Patrons.. Settle, North Yorkshire: 2QT Ltd. (Publishing) Ltd., 2020
Davison, T. Raffles. 'Edgar Wood, architect. Architecture vol. 2, 1897 pp. 99-112
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
Gray, A. Stuart. Edwardian architecture: a biographical dictionary. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co., Ltd., 1985
Hamilton, Alec. Arts & Crafts Churches. London: Lund Humphries, 2020
Morris, David. ‘”Here by experiment: Edgar Wood in Middleton’. John Rylands Library Bulletin no. 89, 2012/13 pp. 127-169
'Obituary'. Architect & Building News vol. 144, 25 October 25 October 1935 p. 37
'Obituary'. The Builder vol. 149, 25 October 1935 p. 740
'Obituary'. RIBA Journal vol. 43, 21 December 1935 p. 212
Partnership in Style: Edgar Wood & J. Henry Sellers. Manchester, England: Manchester City Art Galleries, 1975 [Exhibition catalogue]
Seddon, Jill. ‘The Furniture Design of Edgar Wood (1860-1935)’ The Burlington Magazine vol. 117, no. 873, December 1975 pp. 857-861, 863-864, 867
Stamp, Gavin. The English House 1860-1914. Catalogue of an exhibition of photographs and drawings. London: InternationalArchitect and the Building Centre Trust, 1980 p. 41