▁He ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁museum ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁Wood ward ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Mary ▁Clark ▁Thompson ▁Medal ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁National ▁Academy ▁of ▁Sciences . ▁ ▁Wood ward ' s ▁reputation ▁suffered ▁from ▁his ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁Pil td own ▁Man ▁ho ax ▁where ▁he ▁gave ▁a ▁name ▁to ▁a ▁new ▁species ▁of ▁hom in id ▁from ▁southern ▁England , ▁which ▁was ▁ultimately ▁discovered ▁( after ▁Wood ward ' s ▁death ) ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁forg ery . ▁ ▁Wood ward ▁was ▁a ▁leading ▁advoc ate ▁of ▁orth ogen esis . ▁He ▁believed ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁general ▁tr end ▁in ▁evolution ▁from ▁the ▁foss il ▁record ▁and ▁spec ulated ▁that ▁the ▁human ▁brain ▁might ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁product ▁of ▁such ▁a ▁tr end . ▁He ▁discussed ▁his ▁views ▁on ▁human ▁evolution ▁in ▁his ▁book ▁The ▁Ear liest ▁English man ▁( 1 9 4 8 ). ▁ ▁He ▁married ▁Ma ud ▁Le an ora ▁I da ▁See ley , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁zo ologist ▁Harry ▁G ov ier ▁See ley , ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 4 . ▁ ▁Wood ward ▁died ▁in ▁Hay wards ▁He ath , ▁Sus sex ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 8 0 . ▁ ▁Leg acy ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁a ▁one - day ▁sym pos ium ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁the ▁Natural ▁History ▁Museum ▁in ▁London ▁to ▁comm emor ate ▁the ▁ 1 5