The Goodliffe Family of Nottingham

Thomas Arnold Goodliffe: Eldest son of Thomas William Goodliffe & grandson of Arnold Goodliffe

Thomas William GOODLIFFE was born in Nottingham on 16 October 1831. He married Anne STAFFORD in Nottingham in the June quarter 1853. The newly wed couple then boarded a ship bound for Australia, arriving in Melbourne in October 1853. They had five children in Melbourne but the youngest two died at 1 month and six months old. Thomas and Ann used the same names for the next two children, creating some confusion in the records.Their oldest surviving son was named Thomas Arnold Goodliffe born in 1854 in Collingwood, Melbourne.

But life in Melbourne did not suit the family and business was poor, so they returned to the family business in Nottingham in 1861 when Thomas Arnold was 5 years old.

Thomas Arnold GOODLIFFE

Thomas Arnold GOODLIFFE

      |                        |

Arnold GOODLIFFE=====v=====Ann SPEED
  
1807-1888       m:1830  1807-1895

                     |                                |                |                   |
             
Thomas William==========v==========Ann STAFFORD   James SINCLAIR===v===Margaret CRAIG

                 1831-1889          m:1853        1831-1909        1810-1857   m:1930   1811-?

                                      |                                          |
                               
 Thomas Arnold============v============Jessie Glen SINCLAIR
                                  1854-1921            m:1877               1852-1933
                                                         |
                
 |---------------------|-----------------|--------------------------------|
          
 Ethel Stafford       Arnold Percival     Norman Oswald                     Jessie Glen
            
 1879-1800             1887-1888         1890-1968                         1891-1966
                
 |                     |                 |---------------|                |
                                                     
 m1:1917         m2:1919           m:1929 

                                                        Flora         Donaldina          James
                                                      
 MCCOLL          MACLEAN       ROBERTSON/MURRAY
                                                    
 1892-1918       1890-1968        1894-1966

                                                          |               |                |  
                                                                         |               John
                                        |----------------|---------------|                |   
                                  Kenneth Norman  Arnold Sinclair  Donald Henderson 
                                   
 1920-1944        1923-2001       1924-2001  
                                        |                |               |  
                                                       m:1952       m:1960 (NZ)  
                                                       Pamela     Gwendoline Jean 
                                                       FOSTER          SWEET   
                                                         |           1924-2013
                                                         |               |  
                                                                     3 children
                                                                        

1871 Census: Thomas Arnold is recorded in the 1871 census at 39-43 Snig Hill, Sheffield, working as a pawnbroker's assistant, aged 15.

1871 census for Thomas Arnold Goodliffe

Return to Australia: Thomas Arnold returned to Australia on the ship Durham, arriving in Melbourne in March 1875, aged 20. He married Jessie Glen SINCLAIR in Hotham, Victoria on 31 October 1877.

The Argus 7 November 1877

The family of Jessie Glen Sinclair Jessie was born in Paisley, Glasgow, Scotland in 1852, the youngest of the 7 children of James SINCLAIR and Margaret (nee CRAIG). James & Margaret married in Paisley on 14 October 1830. They had 7 children: Marriage record for Jessie Sinclair's parents in Paisley, Glasgow Name Birth Location Margaret 1837 Glasgow Robert 1840 Glasgow Catharine 13 Feb 1842 Paisley Elizabeth 11 Feb 1844 Paisley James 15 Mar 1846 Paisley John 1850 Paisley Jessie Glen 1852 Paisley Their oldest daughter Margaret married John CLARK on 18 April 1857. In 1841 the family were at 18 Broomlands, Paisley. James was a salesman and baker. In 1851 the family, now with 7 children, are at 8 Broomlands, Paisley. Jessie was 1 month old. In 1861 the family were at 3 Broomlands, Paisley. Margaret is listed as a Laundress, was Head of household, and married. Her husband James was not present. I cannot find him in Scotland at the time of the census. Broomlands is part of the main street in central Paisley. The street backs on to the cemetery and crematorium. The street is dominated by multi-storey buildings with shops at street level and apartments on the upper floors. Their first location at 18 Broomlands has been replaced by a more recent block of apartments, but the other two at 7 and 3 are still in existence. The start of Broomlands in Paisley 3 Broomlands St Paisley 1,3,5 and 7 Broomlands. The Coates Memorial Church can be seen in the background Emigration to Melbourne In July 1862 Margaret and the 5 younger children arrived in Melbourne aboard the ship Mistress of the Seas. Apparently, John was not on that voyage and there are no records of a Sinclair of appropriate age arriving in Melbourne. Nor is there a death record for James Sinclair in either the Scottish or Victoria records. I cannot find what happened to James. Across the road from 7 Broomlands is the Martyr's Memorial Church. This church played a major role in the emigration of many local families to Australia and New Zealand after the loss of the cotton and sewing trade in Paisley.

The family of Thomas GOODLIFFE and Jessie Glen SINCLAIR

Thomas and Jessie had 4 children, all born in Melbourne:

Thomas and Jessie lived at 53 Donald St, Prahran, Melbourne for many years. They and their children are listed in the electoral rolls at that address. Jessie obviously had some trouble with one of her neighbours, taking Mr Elsley to court for assault in 1899. On 31 October 1902 Thoas and Jessie celebrated their silver wedding anniversary:

	The Prahran Telegraph 23 Dec 1899.

Thomas died on 15 April 1921 aged 65, at 53 Donald St, Prahran. The informant was his daughter Jessie, aged 29. Thomas is buried in the Melbourne Cemetery.

Argus 19 April 1921

Jessie Glen died on 26 July 1933 aged 78, at 53 Donald St, Prahran, after being knocked over by a car. She was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery.

Argus 28 July 1833

53 Donald St Prahran, Melbourne today.

The Children of Thomas and Jessie GOODLIFFE

Norman Oswald GOODLIFFE

Norman was born 27 February 1890 in Prahran. He worked as a clerk for the AMP Society (insurance company). He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 7 June 1917, aged 27 years and 4 months according to his enlistment papers, service number 7485.

Norman married Flora MCCALL in East Melbourne on 15 Sept 1917. Both were aged 26.

His service record shows that on 21 November 1917 he embarked on HMAT "Nestor" for Suez, embarked HMS "Sarnia" in Alexandria for Southampton via Taranto, arriving on 9 January 1918.

He was advised that his wife Flora had died of TB on 20 April 1918.

Norman was posted to France on 29 August 1918, to join the 8th Battalion.

Granted leave to return to England on 10 November 1918 (the day before Armistice) but was soon admitted to hospital at Harefield, then being attached there until 1 February 1919. He was posted to Admin HQ, London.

Norman was granted leave from 17 July 1919 to 17 October 1919. During this time he was working as a "Mercantile Clerk" in Paisley, Scotland, where he married Donaldina Henderson MACLEAN on 9 October 1919 at Paisley.

1919 marriage record for Norman Goodliffe to Donaldina Maclean at Paisley.

Ina (as she was known) was born at Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis on 10 April 1894. Her family were living in Paisley at the time of the 1911 census at 27 Kilnside Road. Donaldina was aged 16 and working as a shop assistant. Note that her father, Kenneth, was an assurance agent, a business that Norman had worked in before the war and where he may have been working whilst on leave in Paisley.

1894 birth of Donaldina Maclean at Stornoway.

Kilnside, Paisley today

.

Norman returned to Australia on the "Konigin Liuse" on 4 February 1920, and was discharged medically unfit (long sighted and chronic influenza) on 18 April 1920.

Donaldina, his wife, travelled alone to Melbourne on the ship "Bahia Castillo", departing London on 17 April 1920. It appears that she returned to Scotland, probably in early 1922, for she gave birth to their first son, Kenneth Norman GOODLIFFE in Paisley on 1 July 1922.

Donaldina and her young son Kenneth travelled to Australia departing 14 December 1922 on the ship Ballarat.

1920 voyage of Donaldina Goodlife from London to Melbourne.

1922 voyage of Donaldina and Kenneth Goodlife to Melbourne.

Norman and Donaldina had three children:

Donaldina and son Arnold (aged 8) returned to Paisley, Scotland aboard the "Bendigo", arriving in London on 12 June 1932:

This was a short visit, as they returned to Australia, departing London on 24 November 1932 on the ship "Baradine":

The purpose of their 1932 visit is unclear, but her mother, Maria HENDERSON had died in 1930. Her son Colin was the informant, and he was living at 146 Rowan St, the same address given by Donaldina on the shipping manifest.

Norman died on 3 September 1968 at 24 Percy St, Balwyn, Victoria.

Donaldina died in Parkdale, Melbourne on 6 October 1980:

Kenneth Norman enlisted with the Australian Army and was killed in Lae, PNG in 1944, aged 22. His enlistment form is here, and his Will is here, leaving all to his mother.

Kenneth Norman from his Army file

The family was devastated by the loss of Kenneth. At the time and for many years after his death the family placed a Memoriam in the Argus Newspaper noting his death. Here is a selection up to 1955:

Jessie Glen Sinclair GOODLIFFE

Jessie Glen was born 27 Oct 1891 at 53 Donald St, Prahran. She lived at the same address until she married in 1929, aged 33.

Soon after the death of her father Thomas (in April 1921) Jessie and her mother (Jessie Glen) travelled back to Paisley in Scotland. They sailed on the Berrima, arriving in London on 24 July 1921. They stayed in the UK for nearly 16 months, departing on the Ormuz on 11 November 1922 bound for Melbourne:

Jessie and mother travelling Melbourne-London in July 1921

The return trip in November 1922

Jessie Glen married James ROBERTSON on 8 January 1929 at the Baptist Church, Geelong Rd, Footscray, Melbourne. She was a waitress aged 33 and still living in the family home at 53 Donald St. He was a plumber aged 35, living at 5 Tiernan St, Footscray. The two addresses are only a few blocks apart.

Who was James Robertson? James claimed on his marriage certificate to have been born in Melrose, Scotland to William ROBERTSON and Mary MURRAY, but there is no birth record for him with these parents. In fact almost all details of James on his marriage certificate are wrong - suggesting he did not know much about his family. We know from later records (electoral roll and death certificate, see below) that he was James Ernest and he thought his mother was named Mary (Murray). There is a clue in his mother's name (although the Murray is wrong) as there is a birth record for a James Ernest MURRAY (illegitimate) to a James MURRAY and Mary CRAW in Glasgow on 20 July 1892 and this is almost certainly him. (It would also explain why he changed his name from Robertson (possibly his foster family) to MURRAY later in life.) James Ernest MURRAY's 1892 birth record. It reads: James Ernest MURRAY (Illegitimate). 1892 July Twentieth, 2h.45m.A.M. 99 Langlands Rd, Govan. M James Murray, Forester/Journeyman Mary Ferguson Pearson domestic servant widowed Charles Craw gamekeeper who died 26th January 1888 at Quorn, Leicestershire (England). Mary F. Craw Mother. James Murray father Garlwel Cottage Great Western Rd, Glasgow. The birth record tells us his father was James MURRAY and his mother was Mary CRAW a widow. Her maiden name was PEARSON. She was born on 19 December 1861 to John PEARSON (master mariner) and Susan FERGUSON (domestic servant) who had married on 9 April 1861 in Glasgow. Mary worked as a laundress, first for the McMEIKAN family at Logan House (1881 census), Glasgow and then at the remote highland estate of Auchendennan, overlooking Loch Lomond (today it operates as a luxury private hotel). While at the estate she met the gamekeeper - Charles CRAW - whom she married on 19 December 1884 at 70 Bell St, Glasgow. 1884 marriage of Mary PEARSON to Charles CRAW. Charles and Mary CRAW had two children: Susan Helen CRAW born in Glasgow on 15 June 1885 and Isabella May CRAW born in Quorn, Leicestershire in 1887. After the birth of Susan, Charles moved to Quorn, Leicestershire, presumably to work as a gamekeeper, but he died there on 26 January 1888. Mary moved back to Scotland to live with her mother. In the 1891 census the two children, Susan and Isabella were living with their grandmother Mary PEARSON at the remote village of Kirkmaiden, Wigtonshire and Mary was living with her aunt and uncle (John & Mary GIBBS) at Kinning Park, Glasgow. The next event in Mary's life was the birth of her son James Ernest MURRAY in 1892, the father being James MURRAY. In the 1901 census Mary was living with her mother and her two daughters at Kirkmaiden, Wigtonshire. She was still working as a laundress but the village is so remote I wonder where the laundry came from. Her son James is not living with her. Mary was still living at Kirkmaiden in 1911 but her mother had died and her daughter Susan had married. The other daughter Isabel was not with her, although she was the witness to Susie's marriage to William WEIR in September 1910. 1901 census for Mary CRAW at Kirkmaiden. 1911 census for Mary CRAW at Kirkmaiden. After his birth, James seems to disappear. He is not with his mother in the 1901 census. At this time I cannot find another record for him until his marriage in Melbourne in 1929 under the name of James ROBERTSON. His mother Mary and his half-sisters Isabel May and Susie Ellen (and her daughter Margaret) meanwhile emigrated to Perth, Western Australia. They departed from Liverpool on the ship "Belgic" on 21 May 1913. Susie's husband William does not appear to be onboard, but he is listed in the 1916 and later electoral rolls so he must have joined them at some stage, especially as they had a son - William Ian - in Perth in 1920. In 1916 Mary, Susie and William were living at Korrelocking, and William's occupation was fettler. By 1936 they had moved into town at 105 Fairway, Nedlands where William was now a tobacconist. Mary Ferguson CRAW (née PEARSON) died in Nedlands, Perth in December 1958. Her daughter Susie WEIR died there in 1966. The other daughter - Isabella May CRAW (also Isabel May) - was with her mother in the 1901 census but not in 1911 but she was a witness for her sister Susie's marriage in Kirkmaiden in 1910. Isabel emigrated to Perth in 1913 with her mother and sister. She married William Ernest Seth WOOD in Launceston, Tasmania in 1915 where they subsequently ran a bicycle manufacturing business until at least 1934. They had two daughters - Eleanor and Margaret. Isabel died in Melbourne on 14 October 1952. 1913 passenger list for the "Belgic" for Mary and Isabel CRAW and Susue and Margaret WEIR.

After their marriage James and Jessie appear to vanish from the records. Jessie (Robertson) is mentioned in her mother's obituary in the newpaper in 1933, but after that, nothing. The cause is simple - James changed his name from Robertson to his birth father's name of MURRAY. That does not make them any more visible in the records, but does enable death records for them to be located.

Jessie Glen Sinclair ROBERTSON/MURRAY (née GOODLIFFE) died at 42 Griffiths Rd, Upwey, east Melbourne on 21 July 1962. Although her husband was not clear on details, her maiden name of Goodliffe confirms this is the correct person. Her death record lists one son (John, deceased) but he is not in the Victoria registers under either Robertson or Murray.

James Ernest ROBERTSON/MURRAY died at Upwey (presumably 42 Griffiths Rd) in 1966.

1962 death certificate for Jessie Glen Sinclair Murray

1966 death certificate for James Ernest Murray

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Last updated: 21 June 2021