The Goodliffe Family of Nottingham

Thomas William Goodliffe - Eldest son of Arnold Goodliffe

Thomas GOODLIFFE

Annie STAFFORD

Arnold and Ann Goodliffe had 7 children. Their oldest son - Thomas William - was born on 16 October 1831 and was baptised in the Stoney Street General Baptist Church, Nottingham. In the 1851 census he was aged 20 and living with the family at Bridlesmith Gate.

1851 census

According to the centennial history of the Goodliffe business, Thomas had gone to Australia in 1850 at 20 years of age, but his inclusion on the 1851 census indicates this voyage was later.

Thomas married Ann STAFFORD in Nottingham (listed in the Sept Qtr 7b/333) and then immediately departed for Melbourne. The records of Unassisted Immigration to Victoria show that Thomas and Ann arrived in Melbourne in October 1853 on the ship " Tasmania". Both were listed as aged 23 years.

Ann STAFFORD was born in Nottingham, and she is probably the Anne living with her family at Glasshouse St, Nottingham in the 1851 census. She was aged 22 and listed as a Cloth Cap Maker. Her parents were George and Ann Stafford, and she had a younger sister, Mary.

Thomas and Anne had several children in Melbourne. The Victoria BDM records show:

At first reading, this record of births and deaths would seem to be a recording error (some of the births were recorded twice). But there is a death notice for the first Mary Ellen in the Melbourne "Argus" newspaper for Tuesday 14 April 1857. Thus it would appear that Thomas and Ann lost their first two children (Thomas and Mary) and used the same names for the next two - very confusing!

But life did not suit the family in Melbourne. The family history explains that business was poor and they found Melbourne too hot (but not too cold in Winter!). So they returned to Nottingham. The Victoria Shipping Register records the family, comprising Mr & Mrs Goodliffe (aged 43 & 39), Thomas 5 years and Mary 2 years plus infant (that would have been William Stafford) returning to England on the Owen Glendower, departing February 1861.

The Owen Glendower in full sail (From: Repro ID: PY0566 National Maritime Museum, London)

Shortly sfter their return to Nottingham their next child, John Frederick, was born on 30 August 1862. Thomas and Anne had 3 more children in Nottingham, so their family was:

Thomas Arnold: 1855 Melbourne	Mary Ellen (Nellie): 1859 Melbourne	William Stafford: 1861 Melbourne	John Frederick: 1862 Nottingham
Frances Marguerite (Maggie): 1864 Nottingham	Anne Lillian (Lillie): 1865 Nottingham	Arthur Herbert: 1870 Nottingham

      |                                |                 |                    |

Arnold GOODLIFFE=========v=========Ann SPEED      George STAFFORD=====v=====Ann ?

  1807-1888            m:1830      1807-1895                          |

                          |                                            |

                William Thomas GOODLIFFE=============v============Ann STAFFORD

                      1831-1889                    m:1851           1831-1909

                                                     | 

       |-------------|------------|----------|------------|------------------|-------------------|---------------|--------------|

 Thomas Arnold Thomas Arnold Mary Ellen Mary Ellen William Stafford  John Frederick     Frances Marguerite Annie Lillian  Arthur Herbert

   1853-1854     1854-1921    1856-1857  1859-1939    1860-1897          1862-1945           1864-1959       1865-1956      1870-1952

       |             |            |          |            |--------|         |---------|         |               |              |
                 
 m:1877                  m:1882      m1:1884   m2:1889  m1:1884   m2:1925    m:1885          m:1889         m:1896

               
 Jessie Glen                Edward      Adelina   Julia   Mary Jane  Marjorie  William         George           Ada

                 SINCLAIR                 HICKLING     HALLAM    ALLEN   MILLINGTON CALISON    CLARKE        SPRECKLEY         LEE 
                1852-1933               1859-1939   1862-1886 1867-1947 1862-1923 1896-1970 1859-1944       1860-1956      1872-1952

                     |                       |           |         |         |         |         |               |              |
                   
 V                       V           V                   V                   V               V              V

                    
 V                       V           V                   V                   V               V              V

              Thomas & Jessie         Edward & Nellie William & Adelina  John & Mary    William & Maggie  George & Lillie  Arthur & Ada

 

Thomas with son Thomas Arnold. Taken in Melbourne about 1857.

Lillie and Maggie Goodliffe, taken about 1869.

The three sisters: Lillie, Maggie and Nellie taken between 1882 and 1885

By the 1871 census, Thomas, Anne and family were living at 40 Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham:

1871 census

In the 1881 census, they were still at 40 Bridlesmith Gate although Thomas was absent on the night of the census. I cannot find him elsewhere.:

Thomas William GOODLIFFE died in Nottingham in 1889, aged 58 years.

In the 1891 census at 32 Nottingham Rd, Basford, Anne now has only her youngest son living with her, as well as Mary Hallam, a general servant:

1881 census

1891 census

and in the 1901 census, at 32 Nottingham Rd, Basford Annie was alone with Eva Brown (companion) and Elizabeth Shepherd, servant:

1901 census

Anne (Stafford) GOODLIFFE died in 1909, aged 82.

Thomas and Anne are buried in Nottingham General Cemetery, along with their daughter Mary Ellen and her husband Edward Hickling:

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Last updated: 22 June 2021