McKinnon Wood

Thomas McKinnon Wood PC (26 January 1855 – 26 March 1927) was a British Liberal politician.[1][2][3] Regarded as a liberal with "sound Progressive credentials,"[4] he served as a member of H. H. Asquith's cabinet as Secretary for Scotland between 1912 and 1916 and as Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between July and December 1916. He was also involved in London politics and served as Chairman of the London County Council between 1898 and 1899.

The Right Honourable McKinnon Wood
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
In office 23 October 1911 – 13 February 1912
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	H. H. Asquith
Preceded by	Charles Hobhouse
Succeeded by	Charles Masterman
In office 9 July 1916 – 5 December 1916
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	H. H. Asquith
Preceded by	Edwin Montagu
Succeeded by	Sir Hardman Lever, Bt
Secretary for Scotland
In office 13 February 1912 – 9 July 1916
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	H. H. Asquith
Preceded by	The Lord Pentland
Succeeded by	Harold Tennant
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office 9 July 1916 – 5 December 1916
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	H. H. Asquith
Preceded by	Edwin Montagu
Succeeded by	Sir Frederick Cawley, Bt
Personal details
Born	26 January 1855 London
Died	26 March 1927 (aged 72)
Nationality	British
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Isabella Sandison
Alma mater	University College, London

Background and education

Born in Stepney, Wood was the only son of Hugh Wood, a merchant and shipowner, by his second wife Jessie McKinnon, daughter of Reverend Thomas McKinnon.[1][2] His father had been born in Orkney, where his father was a farmer, but had later settled in London.[2] Wood was educated at the Brewers' Company School, Aldenham, Hertfordshire, Mill Hill School, and University College, London. He graduated in 1875 with honours in logic and moral philosophy.[1][2] After graduating, he worked briefly on the 9th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica,[2] before joining the family business in 1878, after his father lost his sight.[2]

Political career

Wood was a member of the London County Council for Central Hackney from 1892 to 1909.[1] From 1897 to 1908 he was leader of the Progressive Party and also served as Chairman of the council from 1898 to 1899.[1][2] In 1907 he was appointed alderman, a post he held until 1909.[2] He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the County of London in 1899.[2]

Wood stood unsuccessfully as a parliamentary candidate for East Islington in 1895,[1] Glasgow St. Rollox in 1900[1] and Orkney and Shetland in 1902.[1] However, in 1906 he was elected for Glasgow St Rollox as a Liberal, a seat he held until 1918.[5] In April 1908 Wood was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education in the administration of H. H. Asquith, a post he held until October of the same year, when he became Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.[2]

In 1911 he was made Financial Secretary to the Treasury and admitted to the Privy Council.[6] The following year he was promoted to Secretary for Scotland[7] with a seat in the cabinet. He continued in this post also when the war-time coalition was formed in May 1915. His integrity was called into question over the 1908 -1919 Oscar Slater case and inquiries into his false conviction for murder. In July 1916 he was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Financial Secretary to the Treasury. The latter post was considered very important in the war-time situation, and was not seen as a demotion.

However, when Lloyd George became Prime Minister in December 1916, Wood was not offered a post in the government.[2] By the time the general election of December 1918 was held, Wood was an anti-coalition Asquith Liberal. In common with most of the Liberals who did not receive the "Coalition Coupon" he lost his seat, which was gained by Gideon Oliphant-Murray of the Conservative Party.[2] He made one attempt to re-enter the Commons when he stood unsuccessfully for Hackney Central in 1922.[1][2]

Family

Wood married Isabella Sandison, daughter of Alexander Sandison, in 1883.[1] They had eight children, six sons and two daughters. Two sons and one daughter predeceased him.[1] Wood died in South Kensington two weeks after his wife in March 1927, aged 72.[1][2][3] Following a funeral service at Whitefield's Tabernacle, Tottenham Court Road, Wood was buried in Highgate Cemetery.[3] He left estate valued at £130,372.[2]

References

1. "WOOD, Rt. Hon. Thomas McKinnon". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. December 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
2. Davis, John (2004). "Wood, Thomas McKinnon (1855–1927), politician". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
3. "Obituary: Mr. T. McKinnon Wood. Liberal Minister And L.C.C. Chairman". The Times. 28 March 1927. p. 16.
4. Tanner, Duncan (1990). Political Change and the Labour Party 1900-1918. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521329817.
5. "THE HOUSE OF COMMONS CONSTITUENCIES, BEGINNING WITH 'S'". Leigh Rayment's Peerage. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
6. "No. 28511". The London Gazette. 7 July 1911. p. 5025.
7. "No. 28586". The London Gazette. 1 March 1912. p. 1547.

• Torrance, David, The Scottish Secretaries (Birlinn 2006)

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Thomas McKinnon Wood