Portrait Photographs Of The Wood Brothers

A pair of hand coloured Portrait Photographs by Lafayette of Major Algernon Wood (with the sword) and Lieutenant Richard Wood in free standing, leather backed gilt frames.

Both brothers died young: Algernon at the age of 36 and Richard aged 32. The eldest brother, Richard was born in Billericay on the 16th July 1875 and was given his mother's maiden name Morton, as his second name. He enlisted in 1896 as a trooper, making 2nd Lieutenant in October 1900 and Lieutenant in the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons on the 15th of March 1902. Lord Roberts awarded him his commission due to his bravery as a despatch rider during the Boer War. He fought in South Africa in 1896, again in 1901-02 and was awarded a medal for Matabele and two for the Boer War with eight clasps. Richard's fellow officer and best man at his wedding in 1905 to Ms Marguerite Mansfield was his good friend Lawrence Oates, famous for going to the Antarctic with Scott. Both were great sportsmen and lovers of horse racing. Richard won the Grand Military Cup at Punchestown in 1905 riding Oates' horse Angel Gabriel. Richard was due to join his regiment in Egypt as a Captain but died in January at his father's house in Essex. He had taken a fall after hunting and shooting and gone to bed with a high temperature. It turned to influenza and pneumonia.

Algernon George Newcombe Wood was four years younger than his brother, born in 1879. He enlisted in the Essex Regiment in 1899 as a 2nd Lieutenant, making Lieutenant a year later and Captain in 1905. In 1912 he became an Adjutant to his Regiment and in the year of his death a Major. Algernon fought in many of the same battles as his brother in the Boer War from 1899 to 1902 and was awarded two medals with six clasps. He died on the 30th of October 1915 during the Great War at Sulva Bay, Gallipoli, shot in the throat by a sniper as he leaned against the trench by his dugout. He was awarded the DSO and the Serbian Order of the Eagle. This same photograph of Algernon is illustrated in volume 1 of The Distinguished Service Order by Sir O'Moore Creagh. The photographs have come from the family by descent. Richard and Algernon's father George Wilding was in the 56th West Essex Regiment, retiring as a Major in 1880. No doubt after the death of both of his sons in their 30s, the photographs took on more importance to the family.

Both portraits are signed in pencil 'Lafayette London' with the company's logo embossed to the mounting card. There is some damage to the frames and minor foxing to the photographs and mounts. These are an interesting pair of military portraits of two brothers who enjoyed successful careers even though they were cut short. Late 19th Century.

Size of each frame is given.