The Goodliffe Family of NottinghamThomas William Goodliffe - Eldest son of Arnold Goodliffe (1831-1889)Arnold and Ann Goodliffe had 7 children. Their oldest son - Thomas William - was born in Nottingham on 16 October 1831. This page covers his life and that of his nine children.
Thomas William GOODLIFFE was born in Nottingham 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.
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.
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:
By the 1871 census, Thomas, Anne and family were living at 40 Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham. 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 Anne was now living at 32 Nottingham Rd, Basford. She has her youngest son living with her, as well as Mary Hallam, a general servant. In the 1901 census Anne was still at 32 Nottingham Rd, Basford but now alone with Eva Brown (companion) and Elizabeth Shepherd, servant.
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:
The Children of Thomas and Anne GOODLIFFEThomas Arnold GOODLIFFE (1854-1921): Thomas Arnold returned to Melbourne where he married Jessie Glen SINCLAIR. They had four children. Mary Ellen GOODLIFFE (1859-1939): Mary Ellen married Edward HICKLING in Nottingham in 1882. They had six children. William Stafford GOODLIFFE (1860-1897): William Stafford married Adelina HALLAM in Nottingham in 1884. They had one daughter (Adelina) born 18 December 1886 but her mother died a few days later. William Stafford later married Julia ALLEN and they had three children. John Frederick GOODLIFFE (1862-1945): John Frederick married Mary Jane MILLINGTON in Nottingham in 1884. They had six children before Mary died in 1923. John later maried Marjorie CALLISON in 1925 and they had two children. Frances Marguerite GOODLIFFE (1864-1959): Frances Marguerite (Maggie) emigrated to New York where she married William CLARKE, also from Nottingham) in 1885. They had four children. Annie Lillian GOODLIFFE (1865-1956): Annie Lillian (Lillie) married George SPRECKLEY in Nottingham in 1889. They had three children. Arthur Herbert GOODLIFFE (1870-1952): Arthur Herbert became a school teacher. He married Ada LEE in 1896. Ada died in 1918. Arthur later married Winifred JENNINGS (a distant cousin) in 1928. Neither married produced any children. Last updated: 09 February 2026 |
