MID

Thomas Patrick Wood (c.1872-1945) was the son of Thomas Whittall Wood and Kate, nee Byrne.  Thomas W Wood, was a school teacher.  A man with an active mind he was also something of an inventor.  In 1899 he patented 'an improved suspender or holdfast for hats, muffs, umbrellas, and other articles, specially applicable to seats, desks, or other furniture.'  In 1880 he was teaching at St. Mary's, Hotham (West Melbourne) and by 1888 was at St. Joseph's, Collingwood.  Seemingly in tandem with these appointments was Rev JP Aylward and over the years the two built up a close friendship.  In 1888 Aylward wrote his will leaving £200 to Thomas Patrick Wood 'to defray the costs of his collegiate expenses in connection with his preparation for the priesthood'.  Aylward did not die until 1898 by which time Thomas P Wood had already entered the priesthood.  He studied at All Hallows College, Dublin, a college specializing in theology and philosophy.  His earlier education had been at St. Patrick's College, East Melbourne and Francis Xavier College, Kew. In 1897 his father received news 'of the promotion of his son to the parochial charge of an important district in India'. Later 'he spent many years in self sacrificing work amongst the natives of Trinidad (West Indies)'  But due to ill health he returned to Australia and was appointed to the diocese of Ballarat where he was 'attached to several country missions, including Koroit, Inglewood and Horsham'.  He was at Horsham in 1916 at the time of his enlistment.

Thomas Patrick Wood's name does not appear in the records of the National Archives so nothing is known of his work during the war.  The First World War Embarkation Roll, however, does list him as emabarking from Sydney on 5 June 1916 on HMAT Borda.  He gave his next of kin as his father of 43 Albert Street, East Melbourne.

On returning from the war he spent time at St Patrick's Cathedral but was appointed to Ararat in 1921.  He died at Hopetoun in 1945.

It is unlikely that Thomas Patrick Wood ever lived at 43 Albert Street but it was the home of his family for over forty years.  His mother died there in 1914; his father in 1934 (aged 95); and his sister, Emily Mary Wood, in 1946.