Edwin Paxton Hood (1820–1885) was an English nonconformist, writer, biographer and author.
Life
Hood was born in Half Moon Street, Piccadilly, Westminster, London, on 24 October 1820, and baptised 6 May 1821 at St. George's Church, Hanover Square, the son of Thomas Hood, a servant, and Martha his wife. His father had been a seaman in the Royal Navy serving under Nelson in HMS Temeraire. Losing both parents before he was seven years old, he was brought up at Deptford by a heraldic painter named Simpson.
Hood began to lecture on temperance and peace about 1840, and in 1852 entered the congregational ministry. His first charge was at North Nibley in Gloucestershire. In 1857 he moved to Offord Road, Islington. From 1862 to 1873 he officiated at Queen Street, Brighton. He then returned to Offord Road, and later moved to Cavendish Street, Manchester, but resigned his charge in 1880 after political differences with his congregation: he was a strong liberal. After a brief visit to America, he became the pastor of Falcon Square Church, Aldersgate Street in London.
He married firstly 5 Oct 1847 at the Salem Chapel, York, Yorkshire, Jane (died 1 Aug 1851 at Fulford, near York, aged 26, and buried 5 Aug at York Cemetery), the daughter of William Wagstaff of the Bleach Works, Heslingdon, near York. He married secondly 3 Feb 1853 at St. Stephen's Church, Hammersmith, Elizabeth Atkin (died 14 May 1855), daughter of Samuel Bishop Barnby of Hull, Yorkshire, jeweller. In 1857 he married his third wife, Lavinia, the daughter of the Rev. Samuel Oughton of Kingston, Jamaica.
