Woods family of Roebuck Grove
Robert Woods married Jessie Gilmour
born circa 1848 8 Aug 1877 born circa 1853
Co Antrim Glasgow Scotland
died 7 Oct 1914 died 7 Jan 1944
Pembroke Street Belfast
Robert Woods born circa 1848 in Co Antrim son of James Woods moved to Dublin aged 15.
He married Jessie Gilmour on 8 Aug 1877 at the Crown Hotel, George's Square, Glasgow.
Jessie was the daughter of the late William Gilmour of Glasgow. Robert partnered with James
Williams in 1881 and they manufactured sweets and lozenges at their works at Great Britain
Street (now Parnell Street) and by 1885 they were producing preserves at their factory and
became a limited company in 1893. The family lived at Vergemount Hall until 1890 and then
moved to Roebuck Grove in 1891. Robert was chairman of Thompson’s Motor Car Company
and a member of the board of governors of Jervis Street Hospital. Robert went to America
for health reasons and returned in 1899. Robert was co-opted on to the Council of the
Dublin Industrial Development Association in 1905. By 1907 they had close to 400 hands
employed at the company and were one of the largest jam and pickling firms in Ireland. In
July 1908 a fire broke out at Kings Inns Street premises (at the corner of Loftus Lane) causing
damages estimated at between 20 and 30k. A new premises was built on the site in 1910.
Robert managing partner and chairman in Williams & Wood died at a Dublin nursing home
late of Roebuck Grove on 7 Oct 1914, his son Robert in attendance. He was buried at Mount
Jerome. He left 16k in personal estate which was left to his wife absolutely. His brother in
law George Hammond took on the role of joint managing director and chairman after his
death together with Robert's widow Jessie. Jessie moved to Victoria Road, Rathgar in 1918.
She died 7 Jan 1944 at 40 Myrtlefield Park, Belfast and left 6k in personal estate. She was
buried with her husband.
1 Janet Mary Woods born 22 Sep 1878 at 5 Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh. She married
Charles Bain on 2 Aug 1907 at Taney Parish Church. Charles a schoolmaster at the
Masonic School lived at Richview and was the son of the late Alexander Bain of Galway.
Charles was headmaster/principal at The Tate School in Wexford from 1909 to 1919.
The family emigrated to American and were living in San Diego, California in 1930.
Charles died 6 Dec 1945 at Carlsbad.
1 Dorothy Jessie Clara Bain born 19 Aug 1909 at the Tate School, Wexford.
2 Geoffrey Charles Bain born 22 Dec 1912 at the Tate School Wexford.
3 Helen J K Bain born 15 May 1919 at Baggot Street, Dublin.
2 Eileen Elizabeth Woods born circa 18 Jun 1881 at 5 Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh living
with her father in April 1911. Eileen married Henry Vincent Victor Thompson on
20 Sep 1911 at Taney Parish Church. Henry was a civil servant and the son of Thomas
Thompson of Hilden, a school teacher. He worked for the Ministry of Finance in Belfast
and received an OBE in 1927. Henry died 7 Mar 1963 at the Fever Hospital Purdysburn,
Co Down late of 58 Myrtlefield Park and left 11k in personal estate. Elizabeth died
6 May 1967 at Myrtlefield Park.
1 Elizabeth Hunter (Betty) Thompson (twin) born 21 Aug 1913 of Victoria Road,
Rathgar.
2 William Gilmour Thompson (twin) born 21 Aug 1913 of Victoria Road, Rathgar
died in 1956.
3 Hilda Isabella Lambert Woods born 16 Nov 1884 at 5 Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh living
with her father in 1911. Hilda died unmarried on 6 Sep 1973 late of Myrtlefield, Belfast
and the funeral was held at Roselawn Crematorium.
4 Robert Keith Woods born 28 Jul 1886 at 5 Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh was educated at
St Andrews College, Dublin. He worked in the family firm and was living with his father in
1911. He was a keen horseman and owner of Lord Roebuck a trotting pony which won
numerous prizes. He was living at Cherryfield Avenue in Ranelagh and married Sarah
Collins on 24 May 1919. Sarah was the daughter of Michael Collins. He retired from
Williams & Wood in 1928 and remained a director of William and Woods until 1944 when
he left to devote more time to the Mining Company of Ireland of which he was also a
director. He died 12 Jul 1962 at his home at Victoria Avenue, Donnybrook. He was
survived by his wife Sarah and daughter Eileen and was buried at Deansgrange.
5 George Gilmour Woods born 22 Feb 1895 at Roebuck Grove was a chauffeur and
married Mary Agnes Somers on 4 Sep 1916 at Dublin Registrar’s Office Mary was the
daughter of Abraham Somers, a station master. He was living at Victoria Road, Rathgar
and joined the British Royal Air Force in 1917 as a motor driver.
George, a commercial traveller secondly married widow Bridget Reddy on 14 Oct 1937 at
the Dublin Registrar’s Office. Bridget was daughter of Patrick Kelly.
6 Zaida Kathleen Woods youngest daughter born 3 Aug 1890 at Roebuck Grove. She
married Andrew Cameron Forrest on 23 Jun 1915 at Taney Parish Church. Andrew was
the younger son of Rev A F Forrest of Renfield Street Glasgow. They lived in Scotland and
had two daughters. Andrew died 7 May 1956 at Whitecraigs, Renfrewshire. Zaida died in
Glasgow at the residence of her daughter on 29 Sep 1967.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - January 2025
Return to Roebuck Grove page
Robert Woods married Jessie Gilmour
born circa 1848 8 Aug 1877 born circa 1853
Co Antrim Glasgow Scotland
died 7 Oct 1914 died 7 Jan 1944
Pembroke Street Belfast
Robert Woods born circa 1848 in Co Antrim son of James Woods moved to Dublin aged 15.
He married Jessie Gilmour on 8 Aug 1877 at the Crown Hotel, George's Square, Glasgow.
Jessie was the daughter of the late William Gilmour of Glasgow. Robert partnered with James
Williams in 1881 and they manufactured sweets and lozenges at their works at Great Britain
Street (now Parnell Street) and by 1885 they were producing preserves at their factory and
became a limited company in 1893. The family lived at Vergemount Hall until 1890 and then
moved to Roebuck Grove in 1891. Robert was chairman of Thompson’s Motor Car Company
and a member of the board of governors of Jervis Street Hospital. Robert went to America
for health reasons and returned in 1899. Robert was co-opted on to the Council of the
Dublin Industrial Development Association in 1905. By 1907 they had close to 400 hands
employed at the company and were one of the largest jam and pickling firms in Ireland. In
July 1908 a fire broke out at Kings Inns Street premises (at the corner of Loftus Lane) causing
damages estimated at between 20 and 30k. A new premises was built on the site in 1910.
Robert managing partner and chairman in Williams & Wood died at a Dublin nursing home
late of Roebuck Grove on 7 Oct 1914, his son Robert in attendance. He was buried at Mount
Jerome. He left 16k in personal estate which was left to his wife absolutely. His brother in
law George Hammond took on the role of joint managing director and chairman after his
death together with Robert's widow Jessie. Jessie moved to Victoria Road, Rathgar in 1918.
She died 7 Jan 1944 at 40 Myrtlefield Park, Belfast and left 6k in personal estate. She was
buried with her husband.
1 Janet Mary Woods born 22 Sep 1878 at 5 Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh. She married
Charles Bain on 2 Aug 1907 at Taney Parish Church. Charles a schoolmaster at the
Masonic School lived at Richview and was the son of the late Alexander Bain of Galway.
Charles was headmaster/principal at The Tate School in Wexford from 1909 to 1919.
The family emigrated to American and were living in San Diego, California in 1930.
Charles died 6 Dec 1945 at Carlsbad.
1 Dorothy Jessie Clara Bain born 19 Aug 1909 at the Tate School, Wexford.
2 Geoffrey Charles Bain born 22 Dec 1912 at the Tate School Wexford.
3 Helen J K Bain born 15 May 1919 at Baggot Street, Dublin.
2 Eileen Elizabeth Woods born circa 18 Jun 1881 at 5 Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh living
with her father in April 1911. Eileen married Henry Vincent Victor Thompson on
20 Sep 1911 at Taney Parish Church. Henry was a civil servant and the son of Thomas
Thompson of Hilden, a school teacher. He worked for the Ministry of Finance in Belfast
and received an OBE in 1927. Henry died 7 Mar 1963 at the Fever Hospital Purdysburn,
Co Down late of 58 Myrtlefield Park and left 11k in personal estate. Elizabeth died
6 May 1967 at Myrtlefield Park.
1 Elizabeth Hunter (Betty) Thompson (twin) born 21 Aug 1913 of Victoria Road,
Rathgar.
2 William Gilmour Thompson (twin) born 21 Aug 1913 of Victoria Road, Rathgar
died in 1956.
3 Hilda Isabella Lambert Woods born 16 Nov 1884 at 5 Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh living
with her father in 1911. Hilda died unmarried on 6 Sep 1973 late of Myrtlefield, Belfast
and the funeral was held at Roselawn Crematorium.
4 Robert Keith Woods born 28 Jul 1886 at 5 Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh was educated at
St Andrews College, Dublin. He worked in the family firm and was living with his father in
1911. He was a keen horseman and owner of Lord Roebuck a trotting pony which won
numerous prizes. He was living at Cherryfield Avenue in Ranelagh and married Sarah
Collins on 24 May 1919. Sarah was the daughter of Michael Collins. He retired from
Williams & Wood in 1928 and remained a director of William and Woods until 1944 when
he left to devote more time to the Mining Company of Ireland of which he was also a
director. He died 12 Jul 1962 at his home at Victoria Avenue, Donnybrook. He was
survived by his wife Sarah and daughter Eileen and was buried at Deansgrange.
5 George Gilmour Woods born 22 Feb 1895 at Roebuck Grove was a chauffeur and
married Mary Agnes Somers on 4 Sep 1916 at Dublin Registrar’s Office Mary was the
daughter of Abraham Somers, a station master. He was living at Victoria Road, Rathgar
and joined the British Royal Air Force in 1917 as a motor driver.
George, a commercial traveller secondly married widow Bridget Reddy on 14 Oct 1937 at
the Dublin Registrar’s Office. Bridget was daughter of Patrick Kelly.
6 Zaida Kathleen Woods youngest daughter born 3 Aug 1890 at Roebuck Grove. She
married Andrew Cameron Forrest on 23 Jun 1915 at Taney Parish Church. Andrew was
the younger son of Rev A F Forrest of Renfield Street Glasgow. They lived in Scotland and
had two daughters. Andrew died 7 May 1956 at Whitecraigs, Renfrewshire. Zaida died in
Glasgow at the residence of her daughter on 29 Sep 1967.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - January 2025
Return to Roebuck Grove page