Elizabeth Joan Hood was born 5th June 1841. Her parents were Dr Robert Hood, a Surgeon, and Janet Chirnside who lived at 2 West Newington Place, Newington, Edinburgh.

She was the youngest of 4 siblings: Janet Chirnside, born in 1831 at Ayton in Berwickshire; George, born in 1833, Helen Paxton, born in 1837, the latter 2 born like Elizabeth in the Newington District.

On 14th December 1864 she married John Francis Pillans (born 22nd May, 1835, a GPO Clark who later became a Portioner, i.e. a Landed Proprietor, according to his death record) at her parents home at 5 Salsbury Road, Newington, Edinburgh. John's address was East Newington Place. His father was Hugh Pillans a Master Printer (of the printing firm which eventually became Pillans and Wilson); his mother Janet (Jessie) Handyside of 9 Newington Place, Edinburgh.

By the time of the 1881 Census John, at the age of 45, was a retired GPO Official. Elizabeth and John had a 15 year old daughter Jessie Chirnside, born in 1865. Their niece Jessy H Pridie and a general servant were living with them Sunnyside, Craigmillar Road.

At the time of the 1891 Census they were living at Shore Road, Innellen, Dunoon with their still unmarried daughter, now aged 25, a different niece Margaret P Pridie, and 2 servants (a cook and a housemaid). Jessie married Andrew H Glegg 4 years later.

Elizabeth died on 15th March 1893, aged 51, at Chirnside, Innellen, Dunoon from a ‘Perforation of Stomach (Probable) after only 1 day’. Her death was reported by a neighbour A H Imrie.

In 1898 her husband dedicated a stained glass window on the west wall of Greyfriars Tolbooth and Highland Kirk, Edinburgh. He died on 1st January 1905 at 9 Craigmillar Park from heart problems , after a year long illness.