Thomas Good (merchant)

For his contemporary, the merchant of Goolwa, South Australia, see Thomas Goode (merchant).

Thomas Good was a merchant of Adelaide, South Australia, a founder of the wholesale drapery business of Good, Toms & Co.

History

Thomas Good (c. 1822 – 21 January 1889) of Birmingham left England for South Australia in the John Mitchell with (later Sir) Charles Goode ( – 5 February 1922), arriving in Adelaide in April 1849.[1] Together they travelled the State by horse and cart hawking softgoods (soft goods being cloth and articles made from it), and were successful enough to start a small drapery business in Kermode Street, North Adelaide. They each married a sister of the other.

In 1850 John Good & Co. began trading as drapers in Rundle Street, Adelaide, opposite Berry's China Warehouse.[2]

In January 1853 he opened a general store[3] opposite Low's Inn, Mount Barker, followed by a grain store[4] which in 1864 he sold to William Barker, previously a partner of Sidney George Wilcox's brothers Joseph and Emery in Gawler.

Good, Toms & Co. warehouse, Stephens Place

In 1872 Good and Samuel Toms founded the wholesale firm of Good, Toms & Co.[5] on King William Street, later office on Wyatt Street and a warehouse at 22 Stephens Place. The business ceased trading in the early 1930s.[6] In 1932 the warehouse was purchased by Charles Birks & Co and around 1934 incorporated into their adjacent retail establishment.[7]

Good's business partner Samuel Toms (c. 1842 – 27 January 1907) may have been educated at J. L. Young's Adelaide Educational Institution.[8] He worked at Goode Brothers' warehouse before joining with Thomas Good as Good, Toms & Co. Three of his sons were involved in the business. Toms was closely associated with the (Anglican) Trinity Church and was a keen cricketer, serving as umpire at many important games held at the Adelaide Oval.[9] A third partner was William Kent, who managed the London office.

Family

Thomas Good (c. 1822 – 21 January 1889) married Mary Ann Goode (c. 1822 – 21 July 1895) in 1850. She was a sister of emigrants Charles H. Goode, Matthew Goode (of Matthew Goode and Co.), Samuel Goode, jun., and Elizabeth Ann Goode.

  • Emily Good (1851–1933) married Cornelius Proud ( –1905) in 1882
  • Samuel Good (1856 – 31 January 1912) of Good, Toms, & Co.
  • Mary Good (1858–1860)
  • Annie Good (1859–1942) married David Williams (1856–1940) in 1884. He was an architect, working with brother-in-law Charles Thomas Good in their practice Williams & Good[10] to design Tivoli Theatre (later Her Majesty's) and other prominent buildings in Adelaide.[11]
  • Elizabeth "Bessie" Good (1861–1921) married John Francis Hummel ( –1925) in 1884
  • Charles Thomas Good (1864–1926)[10] married Helena Russell Goode ( –1953) in 1890. He was an architect, and, in partnership with brother-in-law David Williams, designed the Grenfell Street premises of Goode, Durrant & Co.,[12] Her Majesty's Theatre; the Majestic Theatre; King's Theatre;[11] and James Marshall & Co.'s emporium (1908); (later Myers).[10]
  • Dr. J(oseph) Ernest Good (6 December 1867 – 6 December 1935) married Agnes Minnie Williams ( –1954), served in several notable British hospitals, returned to practise in Prospect.[13]
  • Gwynnyth Fay Good (1899– ) married (John) Keith Angas (1900–1977) in 1924
  • Phyllis Gypsy Good (1899–1947) married Cavendish Lister "Pat" Colley (1898–1982), a granddaughter of R. B. Colley, in 1923
  • Miss L. Good ( – )[14]

Good's sister Mary Harriet Good (c. 1830 – 18 August 1889) married his partner (later Sir) Charles Goode on 6 August 1856.[15] She was an invalid for much of her adult life; they had no children.

Other Adelaide softgoods wholesalers

(these two operated for 30 years as Goode Brothers)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Death of Sir Charles Goode". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 6 February 1922. p. 7. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  2. ^ "Advertising". Adelaide Times. Vol. II, no. 204. South Australia. 20 July 1850. p. 5. Retrieved 1 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Advertising". Adelaide Observer. Vol. XI, no. 498. South Australia. 8 January 1853. p. 1. Retrieved 1 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Early Mount Barker". The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser. Vol. 49, no. 2575. South Australia. 11 April 1930. p. 1. Retrieved 1 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Death of Mr. Thomas Good". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 22 January 1889. p. 5. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  6. ^ "Land and Buildings". The Mail. Vol. 20, no. 989. South Australia. 9 May 1931. p. 23. Retrieved 1 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Good, Toms & Co. warehouse". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  8. ^ Though appearing in reference cited, his name is not mentioned in reference to any prizegiving or reunion, nor in Diana Chessell's excellent Adelaide's Dissenting Headmaster, Wakefield Press 2014 ISBN 978 1 74305 240 2
  9. ^ "Death of Mr. S. Toms". The Register. Vol. LXXII, no. 18, 785. South Australia. 28 January 1907. p. 5. Retrieved 1 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ a b c "Architect Details: David Williams". Architects of South Australia. University of South Australia. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  11. ^ a b Van Straten, F.; Adelaide Festival Centre (2013). Her Majesty's Pleasure: A Centenary Celebration for Adelaide's Theatre of the Stars. Wakefield Press. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-74305-229-7. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Obituary". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 3 March 1926. p. 19. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  13. ^ "Sudden Death of Dr. J. E. Good on Birthday". The Advertiser. South Australia. 7 December 1935. p. 21. Retrieved 1 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "The Late Mrs. Thomas Good". The Advertiser. South Australia. 22 July 1895. p. 7. Retrieved 1 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "Family Notices". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 7 August 1856. p. 2. Retrieved 9 February 2013.