With the recent removal of the foot bridge over Johnny Woods crossing my quizzical mind started wondering just who Johnny Woods was and why did he have a crossing named after him? It has been known as Johnny Woods for as long as I can remember, and a great deal longer than that.

Early maps of Forbes showed that Mr John Wood had purchased a large number of building blocks, many of them in the vicinity of the crossing. Local folklore also mentioned a large house (since demolished) on the corner of Wambat and James Street with a unique skylight that was reputedly John's residence. I can remember it as a boarding house in the 1960s but unfortunately cannot find any photographs.

My theory is that John Wood's crossing transferred itself to 'Johnny Woods crossing'.

The crossing was first mentioned in 1890 Council minutes "Motion to erect footbridge at Wood's embankment, carried" and a 1904 map of Forbes Town shows it completed.

The first structure was of wood and as was noted in The Advocate of June 1913 the "boards were uneven and dangerous". Further deterioration of the wooden 'bridge' continued until it was replaced by the concrete structure in 1930.

But who was John Wood and where did he fit into early Forbes? He is mentioned as being a baker and must have done very well. Other information came from his obituary when he died in 1904.

March 1904: DEATH OF AN OLD FORBES RESIDENT

Mr John Wood an old townsman of Forbes died at an early hour this morning. A fortnight ago he underwent an operation for amputation of one of his feet which had become affected from blood poison, and although the operation was successful, the shock and his advanced age - he was over 70 years - proved too much for him.

Another obituary states: The deceased came from Victoria in 1862 and started a bakery. Since then he became a large owner of property. He was a very prominent member of the Presbyterian Church.

Things became interesting, however, after John Wood departed as he died Intestate, that is without a will. All his assets were then handled by The Curator of Intestate Estates and what an estate it was!

An advertisement for the sale of his properties by auction in August 1904 :

The whole of the estate of the late, John Wood, comprising some of the most valuable corners and building sites in Forbes consisting of 43 (forty three) lots of which 30 (thirty) have buildings.

John certainly made a lot of dough!

I love a good mystery and John certainly provided one as in 1906 several advertisements were published in National papers by the Curator of Intestate Estates searching for "Elizabeth Marsha Wood, formerly the wife of John Wood" inviting her to make contact to participate in the distribution of the estate. If she could not be found it would be deemed that he "died without a widow". I wonder if Elizabeth ever turned up, it would have been worth her while!

John also had a street named after him which ran between lower Lachlan to Sherriff. Unfortunately it was resumed by the now Primary School land, so John lost his street as well.

So, that is the tale of John Wood who lives on in our town with 'Johnny Woods Crossing' - which is recognised on Forbes Council's Environmental Heritage List.