Pub history

The Wilfred Wood

Private Wilfred Wood, awarded the Victoria Cross ‘for conspicuous gallantry’, survived the Great War. Private Wood was given a civic reception at the Mechanics Institute (now the Civic Hall) next to Dale House, on his return. He was a railway worker, rising from shed cleaner to fireman and then engine driver. An LNWR locomotive was named ‘Private Wilfred Woods VC’ in his honour. After it was scrapped, the nameplate was presented to his old school and then to his old regiment.