Margaret (Peggy) Rosita Woods & Dr Robert (Bobby) Rowan Woods: Earlscliffe Owners 1952 to 1961
By 1952, Earlscliffe had passed through a series of short-term residents and was ready to become a longer-term family home. After the Stanley-Clarkes moved into Shiel, the house entered a quieter and more settled phase under the care of Margaret “Peggy” Woods and her husband, Dr Robert (Bobby) Rowan Woods.
Unlike some earlier occupants, whose connection to Earlscliffe reflected professional prominence or cultural influence, the Woods’ time here was shaped by something more enduring: family life. Through the 1950s, the house became not simply a residence, but a home defined by daily routines, community ties, and personal events and adaptation.
Family history
Margaret (Peggy) Rosita Woods
Margaret (Peggy) Rosita Roper was born in October 1911 into a family steeped in the legal profession. Her grandfather, father, and both brothers were solicitors, placing her within a well-established professional milieu.
Although Peggy did not pursue formal qualifications, she possessed a strong creative instinct and a particular interest in the visual arts. 1 This sensibility would later find expression in the changes she made to Earlscliffe itself.
Dr. Robert (Bobby) Rowan Woods
Robert (Bobby) Rowan Woods was born in Dublin in 1902 into a distinguished medical family. His father, Sir Robert Henry Woods, was a Trinity College graduate, President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and head of the ear, nose and throat department at Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital. He also served as a Unionist MP for Dublin from 1918 to 1921 and was knighted for his contributions to medicine. 2 3 4
Following this path, Bobby entered Trinity College Dublin in 1921 to study medicine, completing his examinations with distinction in 1926. 5 He continued his training at Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital and later studied in Vienna, then a leading centre of medical innovation.
On returning to Ireland, he succeeded his father as head of the ear, nose and throat department at Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital, a position he held for 25 years. His career combined continuity with innovation.
In 1946, having studied in New York, Dr Woods introduced to Ireland the technique of fenestration, a then controversial surgical procedure used to treat certain forms of deafness. The method proved highly effective, restoring hearing to hundreds of patients previously considered incurable, and established him as a leading specialist in the field. 3
Move to Earlscliffe
The Woods family moved into Earlscliffe on 31st January 1952. 6 From that point, the house began to reflect their needs and tastes in a very tangible way.
Peggy undertook a series of significant alterations to the Victorian interior. Most of the high ceilings were lowered, an original ornate fireplace in the main living room was moved to a different room and replaced with a more contemporary 1950s design, and the three large bay windows overlooking the sea were replaced with simpler square windows fitted with window seats. 7
These changes were practical and stylistic, aligning the house with mid-twentieth-century domestic preferences. In doing so, Peggy reshaped Earlscliffe from a nineteenth-century residence into a modern family home.
At the same time, the house also served a professional function. Dr Woods maintained a surgery in one of the main rooms, treating patients there and bringing a steady flow of local life through the house.
Wedding and reception at Earlscliffe
On the 3rd of October 1959, the Woods’ daughter, Joanna Catherine Rowan Woods married James Roger Marsden in Howth Parish Church. The wedding reception was held at Earlscliffe, with the house and its gardens providing a picturesque backdrop for the celebration. 9
Moving on
The Woods remained at Earlscliffe until May 1961, when Peggy sold the property to Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Knowles.
Her time after Earlscliffe was brief. Peggy died on 16 September 1963, just two years after leaving the house.
Dr Woods remarried in May 1965 and continued his life and career until his death on 20 August 1971. 8
Next chapter: Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Knowles
Earlscliffe timeline
- 1845–1864: Cornelius Egan
- 1864–1878: Captain William Bunbury McClintock
- 1878–1896: The Knox family
- 1896–1901: John Randal Plunkett
- 1901–1922: Sir John Pentland Mahaffy
- 1922–1924: Very Rev. Charles Thomas Ovenden
- 1924–1927: Robert Rooney
- 1927–1930: Dr Ella Webb
- 1930–1945: Sir John Lumsden
- 1945–1949: William Martin Murphy
- 1949–1950: Lily Margaret Graham Gough
- 1950–1952: Olive & "Kit" Stanley-Clarke
- 1952–1961: Peggy & Bobby Woods
- 1961–1969: Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Knowles
- 1969–today: Robinson & Foley family
References & Further Reading
- From correspondence with Mark Hely Hutchinson on Sept 9th 2020. Mark was married to Margaret Woods, daughter of Peggy & Bobby Woods who owned Earlscliffe in the 1950s. ↩
- Taken from the booklet "1711-2011 School of Medicine Trinity College Dublin" found here: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/32219346/brochure-trinity-medicine-1711-2011-pdf-681kb-school-of- ↩
- Irish Times obituary for Dr Robert Rowan Woods, August 24, 1971, page 9. ↩
- "British Society for the History of ENT - Abstracts from meeting 28th September 2001, City Hospital, Birmingham UK", The Journal of Laryngology & Otology, May 2002, Vol. 116, pp. 404–407 ↩
- Irish Times, Examination results, March 25, 1926, page 9 ↩
- Title deeds and other legal documents that are currently in the possession of Karen Foley ↩
- From conversations with Jane Broxham, who lived in Earlscliffe in the 1940s with her parents, William and Norah Martin Murphy. Jane visited Earlscliffe with her husband Patrick on Wednesday 29th April 2009. The Martin Murphy's were good family friends with the Woods. ↩
- As noted in https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/156840539/robert-rowan-woods seen 03-Oct-2021 ↩
- As noted in The Irish Times, 5th Oct 1959 page 9. ↩
Page last updated: 4 Aug 2026