By Brenda McCafferty, MARM, Archivist
A recent donation of Alberta law stamps from the late Honourable Syd E. Wood, K.C., harkens memories of the Wood family legal legacy in Edmonton, and highlights First and Second World War remembrances.
Sydney Wood, Q.C. & The Honourable Syd E. Wood, K.C. (father and son) were both Edmonton lawyers.
Sydney Wood, Q.C. (1896-1962)
Sydney Wood’s (Sr.) admission to the Law Society of Alberta represents an individual example of a veteran law student, returning to practise following his service in the Great War.
Prior to Wood enlisting with the 196th University Battalion and proceeding overseas in the spring of 1916, he completed one year in Arts and Law at the University of Alberta, 1914-1915. Beginning in June 1915, Wood entered his articles with Horace A. Dickey, serving a short time until Dickey himself enlisted in the summer of 1915. Sadly, Dickey was killed in action in 1917, and his name is included on the courthouse war memorial. Following Dickey’s departure oversees, Wood transferred his articles to the Short and Cross law firm where he remained until his own enlistment on February 7, 1916, shortly after his nineteenth birthday.
Injured in battle, Wood lost his left leg at Vimy Ridge in April 1917. According to his daughter-in-law Frances Wood, or so the story goes, after being wounded Wood ended up in water that later froze thereby stopping the bleeding. He was discovered and rescued two days later after laying out between the lines. His injury so severe, Wood was not discharged from hospital until 1921.
On Wood’s behalf, A.S. Matheson of the law firm Hyndman, Milner & Matheson petitioned the Law Society Benchers to recognize Wood’s time overseas be counted in lieu of his time as an articling student. The decision to grant him admission was unanimous, and Wood was waived from articling requirements based on his WWI service. He was also exempted for his first and second intermediate examinations.
For many years, Sydney Wood practised at the well-known Wood, Buchanan, Macdonald law firm in Edmonton. From that firm, many lawyers went on to great careers including the Clarence Campbell, famously named for the NHL’s Campbell Conference trophy, who articled to Sydney Wood in 1931.
Following the outbreak of WWII in 1939, Wood was again eager to participate. So much so that he left his practise and moved to Calgary for four years, where he served as Judge Advocate overseeing POW’s (prisoners of war) in Alberta. From there, he returned to practise in Edmonton for the remainder of his career.
The Honourable Sydney (Syd) Ewan William James Wood, K.C.
His son and namesake, The Honourable Sydney (Syd) E. Wood, K.C., recently bequeathed an Alberta law stamp collection to LASA. Syd Wood graduated from the University of Alberta in 1956. Early in his career, he was an associate with Wood, Haddad, Moir, Hyde and Ross law firm until 1961. From 1961 to 1967, Wood was a partner with Wood Moir Hyde and Ross, becoming a senior partner with Wood Caffaro Gower in 1987. In 1988, he became a partner with McCuaig Desrochers. A recipient of the Canadian Defense Decoration, Wood too was actively involved with the Canadian Military for 25 years and was, for a time, chairman of the Defense Association of Canada. Wood was appointed Provincial Court Judge, Family and Youth Court in 1993, and passed away November 7, 2022.
Donation of Alberta Law Stamps:
The collection of stamps bequeathed to LASA by Syd Wood consists of 17 Alberta law stamps representing three series issued and utilized between 1906 and 1930. The first issue of stamps was printed by the Edmonton Bulletin, the second issue by Bullman Bros. Winnipeg, and the third issue by Canada Bank Note Co. The stamps range in denomination from ten cents to three dollars ($3.00) and were utilized by lawyers when submitting court filings. Also included in the donation is one 1893-1901, British Columbia law stamp, one 1872 Quebec law stamp, and notably one 1864 Upper Canada law stamp.
According to Keith R. Spencer, Past President of The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada,1840 was the first-year stamps were known to be used and circulated for generating postal revenue. The revenue-generating law stamps included in this collection were applied when submitting court filings.
The collection likely originated with Mrs. Frances Wood’s great uncle and Canadian Senator, James Calder (1868-1956). Calder, a known philatelist, was a signatory of the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1947.
Sadly, stamp collecting enthusiasts / hobbyists have waned, and the value of historical stamps have diminished with the advent of machine, pre-printed envelopes which now include postage. The worth of historical stamps is mostly ephemeral and for posterity’s sake and enrich the collections in repositories like LASA of memories of days gone by.
Biographical / LSA Roll Book Information:
Sydney Wood, Q.C. (1896-1962)
LSA Roll #939
Born: June 9, 1896
Admitted to LSA on July 10, 1923
K.C. appointment: December 31, 1941
Died: November 15, 1962
Sydney Wood arrived in Edmonton with his father in 1913 and attended Alberta University in 1914-1915.
The Honourable Sydney (Syd) Ewan William James Wood, K.C. (1933-2022)
LSA Roll #1827
Born: January 25, 1933
Admitted to LSA on August 2, 1957
Q.C. appointment: December 30, 1988
Appointed Provincial Court Judge, Family and Youth Court: March 19, 1993 (newspaper clipping says March 15, 1993)
Died: November 7, 2022 (aged 89)
