Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax

Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax (December 20 1800–August 8 1885), known between 1846 and 1866 as Sir Charles Wood, Bt, was an English politician.

A Liberal, Wood served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Lord John Russell's government (1846 - 1852), as President of the Board of Control under Lord Aberdeen (1852-1855), as First Lord of the Admiralty in Lord Palmerston's first administration (1855-1858), and as Secretary of State for India in Palmerston's second government (1859–1866). He was created Viscount Halifax in 1866.

Wood was married to Mary Grey, daughter of Earl Grey, and was the father of Charles Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax.

Wood's despatch

As the President of the Board of Control, Charles Wood did a yeoman's job in spreading education in India when in 1854 he sent a despatch to Lord Dalhousie, the then Governor-general of India. It was recommended therein that:

1. An education department was to be set in every province.
2. Universities on the model of the London university be established in big cities such as Bombay, Calcuta and Madras.
3. At least one government school be opened in every district.
4. Affiliated private schools should be given grant in aid.
5. The Indian natives should be given training in their mother tongue also.

In accordance with the wood's despatch, Education Departments were established in every province and universities were opened at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1857 and in Punjab in 1882 and at Allahbad 1887.