Thomas Good (merchant)


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

History

Thomas Good of Birmingham left England for South Australia in the John Mitchell with Charles Goode, arriving in Adelaide in April 1849. Together they travelled the State by horse and cart hawking softgoods, 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.
In January 1853 he opened a general store opposite Low's Inn, Mount Barker, followed by a grain store which in 1864 he sold to William Barker, previously a partner of Sidney George Wilcox's brothers Joseph and Emery in Gawler.
In 1872 Good and Samuel Toms founded the wholesale firm of Good, Toms & Co. on King William Street, later office on Wyatt Street and a warehouse at 22 Stephens Place.
The business ceased trading in the early 1930s.
In 1932 the warehouse was purchased by Charles Birks & Co and around 1934 incorporated into their adjacent retail establishment.
Good's business partner Samuel Toms may have been educated at J. L. Young's Adelaide Educational Institution. 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 Trinity Church and was a keen cricketer, serving as umpire at many important games held at the Adelaide Oval.
A third partner was William Kent, who managed the London office.

Family

Thomas Good married Mary Ann Goode in 1850. She was a sister of emigrants Charles H. Goode, Matthew Goode, Samuel Goode, jun., and Elizabeth Ann Goode.
Good's sister Mary Harriet Good married his partner Charles Goode on 6 August 1856. She was an invalid for much of her adult life; they had no children.

Other Adelaide softgoods wholesalers