EDGOOSE:
In search of Ancestry
WOOD, Dr. William OBE
1922 - 1989 (66 years) Has 48 ancestors and one descendant in this family tree.
1881 - 1957 (76 years)-
Name WOOD, William Title Dr. Suffix OBE Birth 5 Dec 1922 Chester-Le-Street Registration District, County Durham 
Gender Male Death 27 Aug 1989 Petersfield Registration District, Hampshire Person ID I979 Edgoose Last Modified 20 Mar 2026
Father WOOD, William, b. 1882, Painshaw [Penshaw], County Durham, England d. 26 Feb 1939, Newbottle, County Durham, England (Age 57 years) Mother EDGOOSE, Elizabeth, b. 10 Sep 1881, Sunderland, County Durham, England d. 26 Nov 1957, Newbottle, County Durham, England (Age 76 years) Marriage 26 Feb 1910 Sunderland, County Durham, England Family ID F197 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Private Children 1. WOOD, Nicholas Gylor d. Yes, date unknown [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] Family ID F1298 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
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Notes - WILLIAM WOOD 1922-1989
The birth of William WOOD was registered in 1922. According to the 1939 Register he was born on 5 December 1922.
(GRO December Q 1922 [EGOOSE [sic] Chester-le-Street 10a 971)
From the 1939 Register of 2 Voltage Terrace, Hetton U.D., Durham:
Elizabeth WOOD, born 10 February 1881, unpaid domestic duties, widowed;
Thomas WOOD, born 27 May 1911, electrical technical assistant, single;
*William WOOD, born 5 December 1922, at school, single.
(RG101/2788H/017/28 FFTJ)
William WOOD, known as Bill, was a doctor, noted for his work with the Salk polio vaccine in Canada up to 1955.
See also the Canadian Journal of Public Health Volume 46, Toronto, July 1955, No. 7: Preparation of Poliomyelitis Virus for Production of Vaccine for the 1954 Field Trial, L. N. FARRELL, W. WOOD, H. G. MACMORINE, F. T. SHIMADA, and D. G. GRAHAM, Connaught Medical Research Laboratories, University of Toronto.
First page of the key article by Dr. FARRELL, along with Dr. William WOOD, Hilda MACMORINE, Frank SHIMADA and D.G. GRAHAM, in the July 1955 issue of the Canadian Journal of Public Health, detailing CONNAUGHT's method for the large scale production of poliovirus for the 1954 Salk vaccine field trial.
[Canadian Journal of Public Health 46 (July 1955), p. 265]
The lady whom he later married was despatched by the pharmaceutical firm Glaxo to headhunt him back to the UK. Her name was Mary Elizabeth TARRANT. She succeeded, and he returned to the UK to lead Glaxo's poliomyelitis vaccine development. Dr. Bill WOOD was responsible for the British version of the Salk vaccine and received an OBE for services to medicine.
He was definitely back in the UK in 1956, living in Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire. At some point towards the end of her life, his mother Elizabeth WOOD formerly EDGOOSE (1881-1957) moved in with Bill and Mary and was living there when she died.
The marriage between William WOOD and Mary Elizabeth TARRANT was registered on 10 January 1958 at the Register Office, Amersham, by Licence. William WOOD, a bachelor, 35 years old and a Medical Practitioner of 12 Garners Close, Denham Lane, Chafont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire, was the son of William WOOD, a deceased colliery engineer. Mary Elizabeth TARRANT, a 36 year old spinster, was a secretary living at Maphilda, Poges Lane, Stoke Poges. She was the daughter of John TARRANT, a railway clerk. Witnesses were M. B. WORLEY and E. SLADE.
(GRO March Q 1958 Amersham 6A 719)
William WOOD of 4 Russell Way, Petersfield, Hampshire, died on 27 August 1989 aged 66. The registration of his death records that he was born on 5 December 1922. Probate of his will was granted on 12 October.
(GRO August 1989 Petersfield 20 487)
(National Probate Registry 1989)
He was survived by a wife and only son.
DEATH CERTIFICATE
WHO: William WOOD
WHAT: Death certificate
WHEN: 27 August 1989
WHERE: 4 Russell Way, Petersfield.
BIRTH DATE: 5 December 1922
PLACE OF BIRTH: Little Lumley, Durham
INFORMANT: Name & address withheld. The informant may be living.
CAUSE OF DEATH: 1a. Carcinoma of Bronchus b. Metastatic Liver disease. Certified by A. W. CAIRNS M.B.
DATE OF REGISTRATION: Thirtieth August 1989
(revised 09.02.2026)
- WILLIAM WOOD 1922-1989