Biographical information provided by Jenny Robertson for the He Tohu exhibition:
Born to Helen (née Dick) and William Hood (tailor), in Kilmarnock, Scotland in 1853, Helen (French polisher) was their youngest daughter. She joined two sisters in New Zealand, travelling assisted with two brothers, arriving April 1875 on the William Davie.
In Dunedin she soon married William Edwards, pedestrian (marathon endurance / competitive walker and sometime hotel-keeper) and gave birth in Wellington in 1876-77. Neither son survived. With William she moved to Victoria, Australia in 1878. William continued to travel widely to competitive events; there are many reports of his dodgy dealings.
Life was challenging and in 1883 and in 1890 Helen sued William for support. By 1893 she returned to NZ and in May in Auckland gave birth to Leah Hamilton Edwards who soon died.
Helen moved to Wellington, received and spent a legacy from her sister, Margaret Hopkins in 1918-19, and died in 1923.
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
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