Nat Gould

Thomas Wooddisse 1893-1981

Thomas Wooddisse was born on 19 March 1893 at Alstonefield in Staffordshire, the son of Thomas Wooddisse 1865-1933 and his wife née Mary Beardmore 1863-1949.

He was baptised on 23 April 1893 at Alstonefield.

When the Census was taken in 1901 he was staying with his uncle Ralph Benjamin Wooddisse at Alstonefield. By 1911 he was with his parents at Sandybrook House at Ashbourne in Derbyshire, studying for the civil service.

In 1914 he was with the Land Commission in Dublin, where he joined the army. During the First World War he served in the King's African Rifles in East Africa and also in the 6th Battalion of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Regimental Number 265709. He was wounded three times.

In 1923 he married Harriett Jane Smith at Kensington in London. She was born in 1902 and died in 1997. They had no children.

He became the Secretary (Director) of the Natural History Museum at South Kensington in London. Following retirement from the Museum in 1959, he continued there part time until 1962. In 1961 he was was honoured by being made a Companion of the Imperial Service Order. This was awarded to retiring staff of the Civil Service throughout the British Empire for long and meritorious service.

Thomas Wooddisse died on 4 May 1981 at Worthing in Sussex aged 88 years.

His widow Harriett Jane Wooddisse née Smith died in 1997.