James Wood (17 July 1867 – 31 October 1936) was an Irish land reformer and, as a Russellite Unionist, was a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament (MP) for East Down.[1]
Supported by what the Unionist leader Edward Carson described as "an unholy alliance of Catholics and Protestants", he was elected as a Russellite Unionist MP for the East Down constituency in a 1902 by-election, defeating Carson's candidate, the local landlord Colonel R.H. Wallace of Myra Castle. The victory boosted Thomas Russell's campaign for compulsory, and assisted, land sales to tenants, which won a measure of success in the Wyndham Land Act of 1903. Wood, standing as a Liberal, lost his seat at the 1906 general election to the Unionist James Craig. He lost again to Craig in the January 1910 general election.[2]
On his death, the Irish News described him as "unsparing in his efforts on behalf of the downtrodden small farmers under the regime of landlordism".[1]
External links
edit- ^ a b Farr, Berkley (2006). "James Wood, East Down's Liberal MP". Lecale Review. 4.
- ^ Courtney, Roger (2013). Dissenting Voices: Rediscovering the Irish Progressive Presbyterian Tradition. Ulster Historical Foundation. pp. 282–283. ISBN 9781909556065.
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by James Wood
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