Louis Mood - Blacksmith

Louis Mood arrived in Australia in 1855 with his seven year old brother Henry, his mother Margaret and his step-father Phillip Deitz. The family left Germany for a new life in Australia when Louis was just five years old.

When he was 24 he married Martha Tomlins at Broughton Village and they went on to have seven children; Margaret, Elizabeth, Louisa, Alice, William, Charles and Ethel.

Louis formed a partnership with his brother Henry and they opened a coach building business at Shellharbour Village which was reported as a ‘flourishing business employing twelve hands’. The brothers built all types of carriages, coaches, wagons, buggies and drays.

With the coming of the railway to Albion Park Rail in 1887, Louis moved his blacksmithing business over to Albion Park Rail where he operated from 1895 until his death in 1920. Moods complex in Tongarra Road was the largest of its type in Albion Park. Workers made slides, sulkies, carts, drays, wagon, and every other manner of vehicle. They also shod draught horses and ponies. All of the upholstering for the vehicles was done on the premises. Seats were made of leather and horse hair was used for the filling. All steel components for the coaches were forged in the anvil.

The factory mployed ten to twelve men who were kept busy repairing ploughs, making new horse shoes, pins for posts and gate hinges. Moods also made branding irons for livestock.

Louis served as an Alderman on Shellharbour Municipal Council and was Mayor from 1898 to 1901.

Louis died in 1920 and his wife Martha shortly after in 1922. Mood Park at Albion Park lies opposite the original site of Moods Blacksmiths Shop and was named in Louis’ honour in 1969.

‘150 Years of Shellharbour’, Dorothy Gillis, The Tongarra Heritage Society Inc, 2009.

 

LR Mood and Sons Coachbuilding and Wheelwright business at Albion Park, c.1900
Shellharbour Images, Shellharbour City Libraries

Thomas Timbs' coach made by LR Mood and Sons c.1914
Shellharbour Images, Shellharbour City Libraries
 

Darcy Fraser in a buggy built by LR Mood and Sons, c.1917
Shellharbour Images, Shellharbour City Libraries

Albion Park Show Committee 1903
Henry Fryer, Louis Mood and Mr Darrell
Shellharbour Images, Shellharbour City Libraries