Wood's halfpence

William Wood (1671–1730) was a hardware manufacturer and mintmaster, noted for receiving a contract to strike an issue of Irish coinage from 1722 to 1724. He also struck the 'Rosa Americana' coins of British America during the same period.

Wood's coinage was extremely unpopular in Ireland as a result of the publication of Jonathan Swift's Drapier's Letters. It was recalled and exported to the colonies of British America. Subsequently, he developed a novel (but ineffective) means of producing iron, which he later exploited as part of a fradulent investment scheme.

William Wood was born in Shrewsbury, son of Francis Wood, a silkweaver. His family were supposedly descendants of Huguenots named Dubois who had fled France after the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in 1572.

William married Margaret Molineaux in 1690, daughter of Willenhall ironmonger Richard Molineaux. The couple lived in a large house in Wolverhampton, The Deanery, where they raised 14 children.

After his marriage William Wood entered into a partnership as a manufacturing ironmonger in Wolverhampton with his father-in-law, Richard Molyneux. Later in 1723 his two brothers-in-law, the Dublin ironmongers John and Daniel Molyneux, disclaimed all connection with the coinage of William Wood. However, little is known of his trade.

In 1715, William Wood 'took two important steps away from his prosperous anonymity and down a road which led eventually to infamy and ruin. The first was his application for the receiver-generalship of the land tax for the neighbouring county of Shropshire, and the second his formation of a large partnership for the production and marketing of iron and steel in the Midlands and London.' He had foundries in Whitehaven, Cumberland, run by his son Charles, and the Falcon Iron Foundry in London, where he placed his son William in charge. Effectively he was attempting to profit from the crushing Whig victory in 1714.

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