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Matthew Goode and Co. was a softgoods wholesaler of Adelaide, South Australia with branches in Perth, Western Australia and Broken Hill, New South Wales
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Matthew Goode
Matthew Goode (ca.1820 – 26 August 1901) was born at either Hampton Charles, Worcester, or Leominster, Herefordshire England. He was apprenticed to a draper in Hereford, where he worked for some time, then he and his brother, Charles Henry Goode, moved to London. Charles decided to try his luck in South Australia and journeyed to Adelaide, where he opened a successful drapery business in Kermode street, North Adelaide, and four or five years later Matthew Goode, who had been working with Goode Gainford and Co., of The Borough, London and J and C Boyd and Co. of Friday Street, London, together with brother Samuel and their parents, arrived in Adelaide on the Princess Helena in September 1850 . Shortly afterwards they removed to Rundle Street, in a building which was later occupied by Charles Birks & Co.
For a time, Charles Moore was an employee, and went on to found the celebrated department store in Grote Street and Victoria Square.Robert John Lavis (ca.1860 – 27 May 1941) had a career with Goode Brothers and Matthew Goode and Co., then in 1907 purchased the moribund Hooper's Furnishers of Hindley Street, which he turned into a highly regarded and profitable institution.Charles and Matthew then opened a wholesale warehouse in Stephens Place, under the name of Goode Bros. The retail business was later sold to L. Roach. Subsequently Goode Brothers removed to Grenfell Street, and in 1870 after the brothers had been together in business for over 30 years they dissolved their partnership. Matthew Goode and his sons continued in possession of the warehouse in Grenfell Street, while C. H. Goode became a proprietor of the wholesalers Goode, Durrant, & Co., also in Grenfell Street.
Matthew Goode was for a few years a member of Adelaide City Council. He then strongly advocated the construction of the deep drainage system, which, was adopted, despite many members who wanted the refuse drained to the sea. He was one of the founders of the Stow Memorial Church, and for a several years he was the treasurer of the church. He was on the committee of the local chapter of the London Missionary Society, and was connected with the Adelaide City Mission from the time of its inception, alnd with the Lay Preachers' Association. He worked with Sir George Williams in connection with the London Y.M.C.A., and with Dean Russell in the Funeral Reform Association.
The next generation
In 1902 the Grenfell Street premises were disposed of, and the business relocated to the old Goode Brothers site on Stephens Place, and the company was floated as a limited liability company with Edward Francis Goode, (Matthew) Albert Goode and R. J. Leavis as directors. Five years later Samuel Henry Goode replaced Leavis. In 1923 the directors were Edward Francis, Matthew Albert, and Arthur Hedley Goode, and the London office was managed by H. P. Goode. The company had 16 commercial travellers covering the whole State, with interstate branches in Argent Street, Broken Hill and Hay Street, Perth. Paul Goode was a director in 1928.
Family
Matthew Goode was a brother of Sir Charles Henry Goode, founder of Goode, Durrant and Co. and member of Parliament, Thomas Goode (1816–1882) of Goolwa and Samuel Goode jun. He had two sisters in South Australia, Ann and Elizabeth (one of whom was Mrs. Marshall). Their parents Samuel (died 1856) and Ann (ca.1786 15 July 1874) had leasehold properties at Walkerville and Islington. Ann was a sister of Sarah Tolley (ca.1793–1872), mother of George Tolley of Rundle Street.
Thomas Goode (1816–1882) of Goolwa was a cousin, whose family included Matthew Goode (1847–1931) who ran a business in Willunga.In 1850, before leaving England, Matthew Goode was married in Hereford to Anne Jones (1826-1852) of Fencott in Worcestershire. Anne died on 19 June 1852 (age 26) in Adelaide South Australia. In 1853, Matthew Goode married her sister Elisabeth Jones (1838 – 19 May 1902)
They were daughters of Elizabeth Britten (1804-1882) and Edward Jones (1792 – 29 January 1880) of Welland in Worcestershire who also migrated to South Australia, and farmed at Finniss Point before retiring to Hutt Street, Adelaide. Another sister Frances (ca.1845 – 1 February 1930) married Matthew's cousin Benjamin Powell Goode on 19 June 1867; another sister, Emily G. Jones (October 1845 – 17 October 1932), married Benjamin's brother Henry Abel Goode on 19 August 1868 and a fifth, Marion (ca.1853–1929), married a third brother William Goode. These last three were partners in the Port Pirie firm of H. A. and W. Goode.The children of Anne Jones & Matthew Goode include: Lydia Anne Goode, Matthew Henry Goode, and Edward Samuel Jones Goode.
The children of Elizabeth Jones & Matthew Goode include: Samuel Henry Goode, Jones Goode, Annie J Goode, Clara Elizabeth Goode, Alice Mary Goode, Edith Marion Goode, Edward Francis [Frank] Goode, Florence Grace Goode, Lily Hope Goode and Mabel Faith Goode.
He had a residence in Wakefield Street.