Reader Gillson Wood was a 19th-century New Zealand politician.
15 Facts About Reader Wood
1.
2.
Reader Wood was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, London.
3.
Reader Wood was brought up as an architect, and shortly after his articles had expired left England for New Zealand, arriving in Auckland in 1844.
4.
Reader Wood was made lieutenant of Volunteer Artillery, and was present at the attempted storming of Hone Heke's pa at Ohaeawai on 1 July 1845.
5.
Reader Wood was mentioned in Colonel Henry Despard's despatch describing that affair.
6.
Reader Wood was tasked with the design of the General Assembly House, which was built in 1854 in Auckland as New Zealand's first meeting house for the House of Representatives.
7.
Reader Wood was elected to the Auckland Provincial Council in the Suburbs of Auckland electorate on 7 October 1857.
8.
Reader Wood served for the duration of the third council until the end of the term on 12 September 1861.
9.
Reader Wood was the Member of Parliament for Parnell from January 1861 to 1865, then 1870 to 1878 ; then for Waitemata from 1879 to 1881, when he retired.
10.
Reader Wood had a second term on the provincial council, where he represented the Parnell electorate on the seventh council from 29 November 1873 until the abolition of the provincial government system on 31 October 1876.
11.
Reader Wood was part of the Auckland wing of the Liberal Party, sometimes called the "Auckland Rats".
12.
Reader Wood stood in the 1887 election in the Waitemata electorate and was defeated by Richard Monk.
13.
Reader Wood later became chairman of the Auckland Gas Company following his retirement from politics.
14.
Reader Wood died at his home in Parnell, Auckland, on 20 August 1895, leaving his widow and one son, and was buried at St Stephen's Cemetery, Parnell.
15.
Reader Wood was survived by one son and his wife, who died in 1898 and is buried in the same grave.