St Osyth Mahala Wood
Encyclopedia
St Osyth Mahala Wood, née Eustace-Smith (1886, Hampstead
– 1 November 1970, Wasperton
, Warwickshire
) was an English philanthropist.
St Osyth Eustace-Smith was the daughter of Thomas Eustace Smith
JP and Katherine St Osyth Howard of Wormingford
, Essex
. Her father Thomas was a justice of the peace
and Barrister with offices located in North Hill, Colchester. Her mother was Katherine Howard before marriage. Katherine’s mother was called Mahala and came from St. Osyth in Essex,
When she was approximately 26 years old she became secretary of the Colchester branch of "Suffragists". “The Colchester NUWSS society was formed in January 1912 with Miss Eustace Smith (Wormingford Grove, near Colchester) as its secretary” appears on p91 of Elizabeth Crawford’s book The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Britain and Ireland:
It is also mentioned in the Essex County Standard
on Feb 10th 1912.
The NUWSS was the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies. These were the women who campaigned for the vote through non-militant means, so they didn’t resort to the arson attacks and other violent protests as their fellow "suffragettes" did
On 7 June 1918 "The London Gazette" reported Miss St Osyth Mahala Eustace-Smith receiving an OBE for her work as "Hon Secretary, Essex Local War Pensions Committee". She would have been 32 years of age at this time.
On 24 July 1924, aged 38, St Osyth married Dr Thomas Wood
in Wormingford Church, Essex. Thomas Wood, an author and prolific composer, became known worldwide for writing the music to Waltzing Matilda
in 1941. In 1947 he became chairman of the Royal Philharmonic Society
, in 1949 Chairman of the Arts Council
's Music Panel, and later a member of the BBC
's Music Advisory Committee.
After their marriage, the new Mrs St Osyth Wood moved into Parsonage Hall, Bures
and became a great benefactor to her local community. She was very adapt at embroidery. On her death her work was donated to Hampton Court Palace
, currently the home of the Embroiderers' Guild
and the Royal School of Needlework
. It can be seen on display by arrangement with the curator.
St Osyth was also noted for her ability to create dolls furniture out of mahogany, an extremely hard wood to work with and not the preferred choice of wood normally used for such fine work. The Essex Handicraft Association drew up plans for a magnificent dolls house to architectural standards in 1955 to portray a typical Essex mansion. Plans were drawn up by a qualified architect from Feering in Essex. The house was called "The Essex Model House"and was based on Boreham Manor, near Chelmsford. It is extremely large [5 ft (1.5 m) and 6 ft (1.8 m)], as it required the services of a professional plasterer to cover the interior walls. The interior base in places is made of genuine miniature parquet flooring.
The finished construction stood for some time in Parsonage Hall, Bures.
It is now on permanent display at the Braintree Museum, Essex.
In recognition of her husband's work at Exeter College, Oxford, she was the main benefactor to the "Thomas Wood Building", which is located in the centre of the city. This stands on the previous site of an old bookshop which was pulled down by the college and replaced with this new building. It was opened by the then Chancellor of the University, Harold Macmillan
.
It now incorporates "Blackwell’s Art & Poster Shop" on the ground floor, with student accommodation in the upper floors.
St Osyth also donated a statue called Alma Matar, which stands in the grounds of Exeter College.
St Osyth was a member of staff at Roedean School for Girls at Brighton sometime during the 1950s–1970s. She died at Wasperton
, Warwickshire
aged 84 years.
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
– 1 November 1970, Wasperton
Wasperton
Wasperton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Warwickshire.It is on the east bank of the Warwickshire Avon and is some south of the town of Warwick which is easily accessed by the A429 road.-External links:*...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
) was an English philanthropist.
St Osyth Eustace-Smith was the daughter of Thomas Eustace Smith
Thomas Eustace Smith
Thomas Eustace Smith was an English shipping magnate and Liberal Party politician. He was elected at the 1868 general election as the Member of Parliament for Tynemouth and North Shields, having stood unsuccessfully in Dover at the 1865 general election...
JP and Katherine St Osyth Howard of Wormingford
Wormingford
Wormingford is a parish in Essex, England.The ancient parish of Wormingford on the south bank of the River Stour, north- west of Colchester and south-east of Sudbury, Suffolk, covered 2,322 acres . The Stour forms the northern boundary, and the eastern, southern, and western ones follow mainly...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. Her father Thomas was a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and Barrister with offices located in North Hill, Colchester. Her mother was Katherine Howard before marriage. Katherine’s mother was called Mahala and came from St. Osyth in Essex,
When she was approximately 26 years old she became secretary of the Colchester branch of "Suffragists". “The Colchester NUWSS society was formed in January 1912 with Miss Eustace Smith (Wormingford Grove, near Colchester) as its secretary” appears on p91 of Elizabeth Crawford’s book The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Britain and Ireland:
It is also mentioned in the Essex County Standard
Essex County Standard
The Essex County Standard is a weekly newspaper, published in Colchester, Essex. As of January 2011, it has an average circulation of 16,614 per issue. It is currently owned by the Newsquest Media Group, part of the American Gannett Company.- History :...
on Feb 10th 1912.
The NUWSS was the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies. These were the women who campaigned for the vote through non-militant means, so they didn’t resort to the arson attacks and other violent protests as their fellow "suffragettes" did
On 7 June 1918 "The London Gazette" reported Miss St Osyth Mahala Eustace-Smith receiving an OBE for her work as "Hon Secretary, Essex Local War Pensions Committee". She would have been 32 years of age at this time.
On 24 July 1924, aged 38, St Osyth married Dr Thomas Wood
Thomas Wood (composer)
Thomas Wood was an English composer and author.Wood studied at the University of Oxford and the Royal College of Music. In 1921 he was appointed Director of Music at Tonbridge School in Kent, returning to Oxford in 1924 to teach at Exeter College...
in Wormingford Church, Essex. Thomas Wood, an author and prolific composer, became known worldwide for writing the music to Waltzing Matilda
Waltzing Matilda
"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia"....
in 1941. In 1947 he became chairman of the Royal Philharmonic Society
Royal Philharmonic Society
The Royal Philharmonic Society is a British music society, formed in 1813. It was originally formed in London to promote performances of instrumental music there. Many distinguished composers and performers have taken part in its concerts...
, in 1949 Chairman of the Arts Council
Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
's Music Panel, and later a member of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Music Advisory Committee.
After their marriage, the new Mrs St Osyth Wood moved into Parsonage Hall, Bures
Bures
The following places are called Bures:*Bures, Orne, a commune of France in the department of Orne*Bures, Meurthe-et-Moselle, a commune of France in the department of Meurthe-et-Moselle*Bures-en-Bray, a commune of France in the department of Seine-Maritime...
and became a great benefactor to her local community. She was very adapt at embroidery. On her death her work was donated to Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
, currently the home of the Embroiderers' Guild
Embroiderers' Guild (United Kingdom)
The Embroiderers' Guild is the UK's leading educational charity promoting embroidery. From its centre in Walton on Thames, and around the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, the Guild works to celebrate and preserve embroidery's rich heritage, and to secure its living future as contemporary art and...
and the Royal School of Needlework
Royal School of Needlework
The Royal School of Needlework is a hand embroidery school in the United Kingdom, founded in 1872.It has an archive of over 30,000 images covering every period of British history...
. It can be seen on display by arrangement with the curator.
St Osyth was also noted for her ability to create dolls furniture out of mahogany, an extremely hard wood to work with and not the preferred choice of wood normally used for such fine work. The Essex Handicraft Association drew up plans for a magnificent dolls house to architectural standards in 1955 to portray a typical Essex mansion. Plans were drawn up by a qualified architect from Feering in Essex. The house was called "The Essex Model House"and was based on Boreham Manor, near Chelmsford. It is extremely large [5 ft (1.5 m) and 6 ft (1.8 m)], as it required the services of a professional plasterer to cover the interior walls. The interior base in places is made of genuine miniature parquet flooring.
The finished construction stood for some time in Parsonage Hall, Bures.
It is now on permanent display at the Braintree Museum, Essex.
In recognition of her husband's work at Exeter College, Oxford, she was the main benefactor to the "Thomas Wood Building", which is located in the centre of the city. This stands on the previous site of an old bookshop which was pulled down by the college and replaced with this new building. It was opened by the then Chancellor of the University, Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
.
It now incorporates "Blackwell’s Art & Poster Shop" on the ground floor, with student accommodation in the upper floors.
St Osyth also donated a statue called Alma Matar, which stands in the grounds of Exeter College.
St Osyth was a member of staff at Roedean School for Girls at Brighton sometime during the 1950s–1970s. She died at Wasperton
Wasperton
Wasperton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Warwickshire.It is on the east bank of the Warwickshire Avon and is some south of the town of Warwick which is easily accessed by the A429 road.-External links:*...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
aged 84 years.