John Wood

M, #3669, b. 17 September 1870, d. 26 April 1917
Pedigree
     John Wood was born on 17 September 1870 at Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland.1 He was the son of James Wood and Helen Sclater. His family was known by the tee-name of "Woods" or "Woodie".
He was listed as head of household's son in the 1871 census at 195 Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland. Those recorded in the household were: James Wood, head; Helen Wood, wife; William Wood, son; Helen Wood, daughter; Isabella Wood, daughter; Margaret A Wood, daughter; Jane Wood, daughter; Ann Wood, daughter; John Wood, son.2

He was listed as head of household's son in the 1881 census at 232 Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland. Those recorded in the household were: Helen Slater Wood, wife; Helen Wood, daughter; Isabella Wood, daughter; Jane Wood, daughter; John Wood, son; Mary Wood, daughter.3
John Wood was a fisherman. He married Catherine Innes at Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland, on 6 September 1893.4,5 He was the informant for William Wood's birth at 310 Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland, on 6 January 1899.6
He was listed as head of household in the 1901 census at 310 Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland. Those recorded in the household were: John Wood, head; Catherine Wood, wife; James Wood, son; John Wood, son; Wm Wood, son.7
He was the informant for Helen Sclater's death at 232 Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland, on 14 September 1902.8 He was the informant for Violet Jane Wood's birth at 310 Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland, on 30 May 1905.9,5
He was listed as head of household in the 1911 census at 310 Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland. Those recorded in the household were: John Wood, head; Catherine Wood, wife; James Wood, son; John Wood, son; William Wood, son; Helen Wood, daughter; Reuben Wood, son; Violet Jane Wood, daughter; Kathleen Wood, daughter.10,5
From 1912, John Wood and Alexander Mair owned the steam drifter 'Plantin' BF 453.11 He was the informant for Mary Wood's birth at 310 Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland, on 21 June 1915.12,5 John died on 26 April 1917 at sea, 3 miles east of Anvil Point, Dorset, England, at age 46. He drowned with the loss of HM Drifter 'Plantin' BF 453 that struck a mine whilst on war service 3 miles east of Anvil Point. The entire crew except his eldest son, James Wood, was lost.13,14

Children of John Wood and Catherine Innes

Citations

  1. [S2885] LDS Church, International Genealogical Index, "John Wood, male. Birth: 17 SEP 1870 Seafield, Banff, Scotland. Father: James Wood. Mother: Helen Slater."
  2. [S5597] 1871, Scottish Census, "John Wood, son, male, age 0, born in Portknockie, Banffshire, resident at 195 Portknockie."
  3. [S5508] 1881, Scottish Census, "John Wood, son, unmarried, male, age 10, born in Rathven, Banffshire, scholar, resident at 232 Portknockie."
  4. [S2934] John Wood to Catherine Innes, Marriage entry, "1893 on the Sixth day of September at Portknockie. After Banns, According to the Forms of the Free Church of Scotland. John Wood, Fisherman (Bachelor), age 22, usual residence Portknockie, parents James Wood Fisherman and Helen Wood M.S. Slater. Catherine Innes, Fisher-girl (Spinster), age 22, usual residence Portknockie, parents James Innes Fisherman and Jane Innes M.S. Donaldson (Deceased). Peter Brown, Free Ch. Minister. George Bruce Witness. John Wood Witness. Registered 1893 September 8th at Manse of Seafield, James McIntyre Registrar."
  5. [S772] Robert Mair, Neil Pirie, Information kindly supplied by Robert Mair of Durham, England.
  6. [S6362] William Wood, Register of Births in the District of Seafield in the County of Banff, "William Wood 1899, January Sixth 1h 30m P.M. at 310 Portknockie, Seafield (Rathven), Male. Father: John Wood, Fisherman. Mother: Catherine Wood M. S. Innes, married 1893, September 6th in Seafield. Informant: John Wood, Father. Registered: 1899, January 14th at Seafield Manse, James McIntyre, Registrar."
  7. [S5596] 1901, Scottish Census, "John Wood, head, married, male, age 30, born in Portknockie, Banffshire, fisherman, resident at 310 Portknockie."
  8. [S2877] Helen Wood née Slater, Register of Deaths in the District of Seafield in the County of Banff, "Helen Wood (Married to James Wood Fisherman), died 1902, September Fourteenth about 9h 0m A.M. at 232 Portknockie, Seafield (Rathven), Female, 68 years, Father: John Slater "Hawser" Fisherman (Deceased), Mother: Helen Slater M.S. Imlach (Deceased), Cause of death: Apoplexy Cerebralis, As Cert. by T. MacHardy M.B.C.M., Informant: John Wood, son, 310 PortKnockie, Registered: 1902, September 15th at Manse of Seafield, James McIntyre Registrar."
  9. [S4158] Violet Jane Wood, Register of Births in the District of Seafield in the County of Banff, "Violet Jane Wood, 1905, May Thirtieth 9h 30m P.M. at 310 Portknockie, Seafield (Rathven), Female. Father: John Wood, Fisherman. Mother: Catharine Wood M.S. Innes, married 1893 September 6th in Seafield. Informant: John Wood, Father. Registered: 1905, June 21th at Seafield Manse, James McIntyre, Registrar."
  10. [S4172] 1911, Scottish Census, "John Wood, head, male, age 40, married, fisherman, born in Banffshire Portknockie, resident at 310 Portknockie, 4 rooms with one or more windows, 9 persons in house."
  11. [S431] David Mair, Joseph Reid, James Campbell Smith & David E Williamson Alexander S Buchan, Steam Drifters Recalled, Portgordon to Portsoy, "BF 453 PLANTIN
    Built 1912 of wood by J. & W. McIntosh of Ianstown, Buckie for J. Wood (Widdie) & A. Mair, Portknockie, Banffshire and registered in Banff (BF 453).
    Dimensions:- 84 GRT. Length 85.20 ft., Breadth 19.00 ft., Depth 9.20 ft.
    16 inch triple expansion engine by Plenty of Newbury. 27 hp.
    Requisitioned for war service 1915 to 1917 (Pennant Number 1400) as an anti submarine net vessel fitted with 3 pdr. gun.
    26 April 1917 Mined off Standfast Point whilst on war service. There was one survivor Alex Mair (Shy), known as Alinger, Portknockie, who later was to be the only survivor when M.B. SICKLE capsized at the entrance to Portknockie Harbour."

    There has been some debate about whether Alexander Mair, a co-owner, was aboard Plantin on 26 April 1917 or another person such as the the skipper's eldest son, James Wood. No documentary evidence of the identity of the survivor has yet been found. Also, newspaper reports of Alexander Mair being the only survivor of the loss of Sickle in 1941 make no reference to him having been a survivor of the loss of Plantin. Leslie Ferguson reported that James Wood, her maternal grandfather, was the sole survivor of the loss of the Plantin, saying that "He clung onto wreckage for some unbelievable amount of time before being picked up. When asked what had kept him from going under, he replied that it was the thought of his mother with all those bairns."
  12. [S7722] Mary Wood, Register of Births in the District of Seafield in the County of Banff, "Mary Wood, 1915, June Twenty First 3h 30m A.M. at 310 Portknockie, Seafield (Rathven), Female. Father: John Wood "Woodie", Fisherman. Mother: Catherine Wood M. S. Innes, married 1893 September 6th in Seafield. Informant: John Wood Woodie, Father. Registered: 1915, July 10th at Seafield Manse, James McIntyre, Registrar."
  13. [S7674] Debt of Honour Register and certificate, Casualty No 3041855, "In Memory of Skipper JOHN WOOD, H.M. Drifter "Plantin", Royal Naval Reserve who died on 26 April 1917 age 47. Son of the late James and Helen Wood, of Portknockie; husband of Catherine Wood, of 9 Devanha Gardens South, Aberdeen. Remembered with honour. Portsmouth Naval Memorial 27. Commemorated in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission."
  14. [S7713] John Wood, Gravestone inscription data, "NM200453, John Wood, ? to ?. Spouse's Name : Catherine. Headstone Ref : H217."