Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Susan Sophia Toomey was born on 8 July 1854 in Buffalo, Erie, New York State, USA – the daughter of Edward Harte Toomey and Rosanna Tully.
The family emigrated to New Zealand in the 1870s and settled in Temuka in South Canterbury.
Susan married Edwin Thomas Wood, a stationer, in 1878 – they had seven children, one who died in infancy.
Edwin was declared bankrupt in 1879 and again in 1889, while he was working as a tutor.
When Susan signed the suffrage petition the family were living in George St, Dunedin - she was working as a military embroiderer.
From 1900 onwards Susan was advertising in the newspaper as an 'art embroiderer' 'boating, cricket, cycling, school badges and monograms' 'moderate charges'.
Edwin died in 1918 and Susan died on 1 January 1925, they are buried together in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.
Sources :
BDM online NZ: https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records: http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Family Search: https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index: http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
PapersPast: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions