From Mahood to Hood
Edward Mahood was born in about 1835 in Ireland, the son of Edward Mahood and Mary Whiteside of Listullycurran, County Down, Northern Ireland. The Mahood family were pig farmers in Ireland. During the famine years the Mahood’s left Ireland for Ayrshire in Scotland. Mary Mahood’s family were from Kilmarnock in Ayrshire.
In 1851, the Mahood family were living in Maybole, a small village about 14 km south of the town of Ayr, the former Royal Burgh of Ayrshire. Edward, his elder brother William, and their father, were all working the land as agricultural labourers. The family were lodging with William Dougherty, a weaver, also from Ireland, on Weaver Vennel, a narrow street of weaver’s cottages. |
Edward Mahood married Margaret Dick, the daughter of Henry Dick and Mary Ann Magarrell, on 29 December 1854 in Maybole, Ayrshire. They had three daughters born in Scotland, Mary Ann, Ann Jane and Margaret.
After Edward’s father died on 16 October 1856, he and Margaret made the decision to emigrate to Australia. The Irish Catholics suffered from discrimination and harassment in some areas of Scotland, a largely Presbyterian population. This may have been the reason Edward and Margaret decided to leave Scotland at that time.
Edward and Margaret Mahood, together with their three young daughters, boarded the ship Bee, which left Liverpool, Lancashire, England on 2 July 1858. Margaret’s sister, Elizabeth Dick, joined them on the voyage. Another sister, Ann Dick, had arrived in South Australia three weeks earlier on board the Frenchman. The Bee arrived in South Australia on 10 October 1858. By this time the Mahood family had become the Hood family.
After Edward’s father died on 16 October 1856, he and Margaret made the decision to emigrate to Australia. The Irish Catholics suffered from discrimination and harassment in some areas of Scotland, a largely Presbyterian population. This may have been the reason Edward and Margaret decided to leave Scotland at that time.
Edward and Margaret Mahood, together with their three young daughters, boarded the ship Bee, which left Liverpool, Lancashire, England on 2 July 1858. Margaret’s sister, Elizabeth Dick, joined them on the voyage. Another sister, Ann Dick, had arrived in South Australia three weeks earlier on board the Frenchman. The Bee arrived in South Australia on 10 October 1858. By this time the Mahood family had become the Hood family.
Gumeracha
The Hood family settled in Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills soon after their arrival in the colony and began farming. The town of Gumeracha, is one of South Australia’s oldest settled areas. The South Australia Company took up a parcel of land in 1839 on which the settlements of Gumeracha, Kenton Valley and Forreston developed. William Beavis Randell, a manager with the South Australia Company, purchased land from the Government and built his family home at Kenton Park in the early 1840’s and established a flour mill in Gumeracha soon after.
In 1852, Randell subdivided some of his estate and laid out the town of Gumeracha. In 1853 the District Council of Talunga was established to administer the pioneering community. Commercial businesses sprang up on the main street and many fine buildings were erected – many of them still stand today.
In 1858, the first light coach from Adelaide to Gumeracha was operating twice a week. The Gumeracha Bridge was opened in 1858 and many improvements to the roads were completed by 1859. |
Another daughter, Elizabeth, was born to Edward and Margaret at Gumeracha on 6 November 1859. Sadly, little Elizabeth died at the age of 4 ½ on 19 February 1864, her older sister, Ann Jane, died just four days later, she was 8 years old. A fifth daughter was born on 6 January 1862, she was named Sarah. Two sons followed, Robert Henry born on 26 June 1864 and William Edward on 28 October 1866. Two years later a sixth daughter, Elizabeth Henrietta, was born on 5 November 1868. And finally, another son, Isaac Wilfred, was born in about 1875.
By this time, the eldest daughter, Mary Ann had married Edwin Henry Bayfield on 21 February 1872 in Adelaide. This was the second marriage for Edwin, who had a family of three daughters and five sons with his first wife, Ellen McNaray, who had died on 19 February 1863. Edwin and Mary Ann had four children.
Margaret Hood married 21-year-old George Palmer on 29 April 1877. Margaret was 19 years old. Sarah Hood married John Alexander Kirkwood and they had three children. Robert Henry Hood married Margaret Murphy on 26 December 1882, they had a large family of eleven children. Elizabeth Henrietta Hood also had a large family, with twelve children born to Elizabeth and her husband, Oscar Daniel Wahlheim, whom she married in 1884. Isaac Wilfred Hood married in 1899 to Mary Ellen Nolan, they had a family of five daughters.
Margaret Hood did not live to see her youngest child marry, she died on 14 December 1898 at Tea Tree Gully leaving seven surviving children, twenty-four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Edward had left Gumeracha when he retired in about 1903 and was living in Tea Tree Gully when he passed away on 8 May 1912. Both Margaret and Edward were buried in the Houghton Cemetery.
By this time, the eldest daughter, Mary Ann had married Edwin Henry Bayfield on 21 February 1872 in Adelaide. This was the second marriage for Edwin, who had a family of three daughters and five sons with his first wife, Ellen McNaray, who had died on 19 February 1863. Edwin and Mary Ann had four children.
Margaret Hood married 21-year-old George Palmer on 29 April 1877. Margaret was 19 years old. Sarah Hood married John Alexander Kirkwood and they had three children. Robert Henry Hood married Margaret Murphy on 26 December 1882, they had a large family of eleven children. Elizabeth Henrietta Hood also had a large family, with twelve children born to Elizabeth and her husband, Oscar Daniel Wahlheim, whom she married in 1884. Isaac Wilfred Hood married in 1899 to Mary Ellen Nolan, they had a family of five daughters.
Margaret Hood did not live to see her youngest child marry, she died on 14 December 1898 at Tea Tree Gully leaving seven surviving children, twenty-four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Edward had left Gumeracha when he retired in about 1903 and was living in Tea Tree Gully when he passed away on 8 May 1912. Both Margaret and Edward were buried in the Houghton Cemetery.
Descendants of Edward Mahood
Edward Mahood was born in about 1835 in Ireland and died on 8 May 1912 in Adelaide, South Australia at age 77 years. Edward married Margaret Dick on 29 December 1854 in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland. Margaret was born on 2 March 1829 in Dromore, County Down, Northern Ireland and died on 14 December 1898 in Tea Tree Gully, South Australia at age 69 years. They had nine children: Mary Ann, Ann Jane, Margaret, Elizabeth, Sarah, Robert Henry, William Edward, Elizabeth Henrietta and Isaac Wilfred.
- Mary Ann Hood was born in about 1852 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland and died on 6 November 1908 in North Adelaide at age 56 years. Mary Ann married Edwin Henry Bayfield on 21 February 1872 in Adelaide, South Australia. Edwin was born on 16 May 1813 in Newington, Surrey, England and died on 10 September 1884 in Two Wells, South Australia at age 71 years. They had four children: Alfred Frederich, Emma, Mary Ann and Fanny.
- Ann Jane Hood was born on 17 August 1855 in Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 23 February 1864 in Gumeracha, South Australia at age 8 years.
- Margaret Hood was born on 12 February in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 5 August 1899 in Modbury, South Australia at age 41 years. Margaret married George Palmer on 29 April 1877 in Adelaide, South Australia. George was born on 23 July 1855 in Dry Creek, South Australia and died on 17 May 1914 in Tea Tree Gully, South Australia at age 58 years.
- Elizabeth Hood was born on 6 November 1859 in Gumeracha, South Australia and died on 19 February 1864 in Gumeracha, South Australia at age 4 years.
- Sarah Hood was born on 6 January 1862 in Gumeracha, South Australia and died on 4 February 1935 in Mildura, Victoria at age 73 years. Sarah married John Alexander Kirkwood in about 1883. John was born in 1861 in Emerald, Victoria and died on 27 August 1919 in Richmond, South Australia at age 58 years. They had three children: Mabel Alfreda, Angus John and Archibald McAlister.
- Robert Henry Hood was born on 26 June 1864 in Gumeracha, South Australia and died on 31 March 1943 in Mildura, Victoria at age 78 years. Robert married Margaret Murphy on 26 December 1882 in Adelaide, South Australia. Margaret was born on 20 May 1862 in Millbrook, South Australia and died on 29 May 1950 in Mildura, Victoria. They had eleven children: Mary Ellen, Richard, Elizabeth Margaret, Alice May, Catherine Sarah, Florence Mabel, Hazel Nancy, Clarence Robert, an unnamed infant daughter, Elsie Emily and Isabell Jessie.
- William Edward Hood was born on 28 October 1866 in Gumeracha and died on 23 January 1908 in Adelaide, South Australia at age 41 years. William married Amelia Ada Hussey on 15 August 1892 in Adelaide, South Australia. Amelia was born on 6 July 1864 in Mitcham, South Australia and died on 23 November 1927 in Adelaide, South Australia at age 63 years. They had eight children: Arthur Percy, Edith Eliza, Harrold, Frederick Charles Theodore, Ruby Pearl, Elsie Florence, Victor Gordon and Daisy Olive Blanche.
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