Thomas Goode (pastoralist)

Thomas Goode
Born	Kyre Magna, Worcestershire, England
Died	July 22, 1926(1926-07-22) (aged 91)
Occupation	Pastoralist
Years active	1858–early 1900s
Known for	Management of Canowie Station; development of Shorthorn cattle and sheep breeding programs in South Australia

Thomas Goode (15 April 1835 – 22 July 1926) was a prominent pastoralist in the South Australian Colony.

History

Thomas Goode was born at Pigeon House farm in Kyre Magna, Worcestershire. From the age of 14, he took charge of his father's agricultural operations and also gained valuable knowledge working with his uncle Matthew Goode, who specialized in Hereford cattle breeding. In 1858, he emigrated to South Australia alongside his brothers Henry Abel, William, and Benjamin Powell Goode, arriving at Port Adelaide on 19 February. His siblings ran a store in Yankalilla, South Australia. Another brother, Charles Rufus Goode, arrived two years later in 1860, with Matthew Goode following in 1868.

Soon after settling in Adelaide, Goode journeyed approximately 120 miles to Canowie Station with horses and cattle to further develop his skills before taking on management of land near Mount Remarkable for his cousins. He was employed by Abraham Scott, J. Frederick Hayward, and Richard Boucher James, the owners of Canowie station, where he quickly rose to the position of manager. The property encompassed roughly of valuable freehold land located between Hallett and Jamestown, supporting a flock of 60,000 sheep and a herd of 1,000 purebred Shorthorn cattle.

Under Goode’s leadership, Canowie’s breeding programs for Shorthorn cattle and sheep flourished. He introduced superior bulls and rams from imports as well as from breeders like John Murray. The livestock earned numerous accolades at the Adelaide Show and other major exhibitions. Rams from Canowie commanded premium prices at sales across Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney; in one year alone, select flock rams sold for £24,000. The station annually sheared up to 72,000 sheep, producing wool that achieved top market prices in London. During the drought of 1865, Goode successfully raised a champion bull that won titles at shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. The genetics of Canowie stock had a notable impact on improving flocks and herds in Queensland. Additionally, Goode was an innovator in water access techniques by drilling bores on the Belalie Plains.

Goode remained manager of Canowie until December 1890 before assuming the role of general manager for the estate of the late J. H. Angas, with Hill River Station serving as his headquarters. Between 1903 and 1907 he oversaw management of the Petherton estate prior to its sale to the government for closer settlement initiatives. In 1906, he partnered with his sons Albert Powell and Clarence Goode to acquire Mintadloo station near Clare, dedicating efforts toward its development.

Around 1898, Goode acquired "Bleak House" in Clare—later renamed "Ava Weanah" and subsequently "Weroona." Following retirement from active pastoral management, he resided in Fullarton while maintaining a farm at Loxton; by 1916 his home was located on Westall Street in Hyde Park.

Family

Thomas’s brothers included William Goode of Port Pirie, Henry Abel Goode (Hyde Park), Benjamin Powell Goode (Port Pirie), Charles Rufus Goode (Port Pirie), and Matthew Goode (Willunga).

His cousins included Sir Charles Henry Goode, Samuel Goode, and Matthew Goode associated with Matthew Goode and Co.

On 11 September 1867, Thomas married Margaret Wilson (8 January 1848 – 14 July 1927), daughter of Reverend Matthew Wilson, a pioneering missionary to the Tongan Islands. Their children were:

• Dr Arthur Goode (12 July 1871 – 24 April 1938) who lived in Peterborough, South Australia (formerly Cleveland, Queensland)
• Albert Powell Goode (13 October 1873 – 9 September 1955), married Catharine Maud Cook in 1905; her father managed the Port Pirie branch of the Australian Wheat Board from 1941. Albert made an unsuccessful bid for the Flinders Assembly seat in January 1912.
• Clarence Goode (17 August 1875 – 30 April 1969), served as Commissioner of Crown Lands during the Vaughan administration.
• Evelyn Maria Goode (14 April 1877 – 2 November 1927), married Hon. Crawford Vaughan, Premier of South Australia, in 1906. She was an author and active participant in the Women's Non-Party Association, receiving an OBE in 1920.
• Lillian Goode (born 11 July 1879), wed Norman Alexander Smith—secretary to multiple gold mining enterprises including Blue Bird mine in Norseman, Western Australia—in 1904.
• Olive Margaret Goode (born 20 September 1880), married Frederick Green in 1919; later settled in New Farm, Brisbane.
• Cecil Herbert Goode (17 October 1882 – 1960), married Frances I. "Dot" Sawers in 1906; partnered with Milton and Malvern as "Goode Brothers" sheep farmers at Sheaoak Hills near Terowie, South Australia. He was later appointed Inspector of Pastoral Leases.
• (Thomas) Milton Goode (born 15 December 1884), married Grace Ellen Hazard in 1910; Grace served as president of the Adelaide Travellers Aid Society in 1912. The couple eventually relocated to Queensland.
• Malvern Clifton Goode (25 October 1886 – March 1970), married Frances Berkeley in 1910; engaged in cotton farming in Queensland and held the position of Commonwealth Superintendent of Agriculture for the Northern Territory.
• Vera Eleanor Goode (born 10 January 1889), married Richard Kirkhouse Jenkins from Wirraminna station.
• Edna Kathleen Millicent Goode (21 December 1890 – 10 March 1977) served as an Army nurse during World War I in Egypt. She married Dr William Foster Simmons in 1919; they resided in New South Wales. Simmons was a World War I medical officer who held leadership roles including director at Medical Benefits Fund of Australia and positions within the Australian Medical Association.

Arthur Goode

Dr. Arthur Goode (12 July 1871 – 24 April 1938), born to Thomas and Margaret Goode at Canowie Station—where his father held management for 35 years—completed his education at Glenelg Grammar School and the University of Adelaide, earning his MB, BS degrees in 1894. An accomplished sportsman, he played as a prominent winger for South Adelaide in Australian Rules football. Additionally, Goode composed music, including the 1914 piece titled "Ready," which, however, did not attract significant critical acclaim.

In 1895, he worked as House Surgeon at Adelaide Hospital and later that year provided key testimony during an inquest. By early 1896, he had settled in Norseman, Western Australia, where he was elected to the town council. In December 1897, he faced conviction for gross indecency and received a four-year prison sentence.

Goode was appointed public vaccinator in October 1899 and subsequently took on the role of health officer in Terowie. Around 1912, he relocated to Peterborough before enlisting in 1916 as a Captain with the Australian Army Medical Corps. His military service spanned Egypt, England, and France until health complications necessitated his return to England in 1918. He was repatriated to South Australia in 1919 and resumed his medical practice in Peterborough, playing an instrumental role in founding the Soldiers' Memorial Hospital.

Ongoing health challenges prompted Goode to move to Queensland circa 1928, where he acquired property in Cleveland and served as locum tenens as well as acting Government Medical Officer across nearby areas. He was influential in establishing a hospital at Mount Isa. After spending three months at Rosemount Military Hospital in Brisbane, Goode passed away. Remaining unmarried throughout his life, he devoted his final years to gardening and music. His body was donated to the Anatomy School and cremated one year following his death.

Evelyn Goode

Evelyn Maria Goode (14 April 1877 – 3 November 1927), eldest daughter of Thomas Goode, received her education at Canowie and Norwood Girls' College. Upon moving to Adelaide, she embarked on a literary and political path. Writing under her own name, Evelyn published numerous short stories along with two books through Ward, Lock and Co: Days that Speak: A story of Australian child life (1908) and The Childhood of Helen (1913), both of which garnered positive recognition.

Her political activism encompassed advocacy for reforms such as the single tax system, improvements in prison conditions, and the abolition of capital punishment. In 1906 she married Crawford Vaughan and maintained an active political presence, frequently addressing public gatherings. During World War I, she played a role in recruitment campaigns by introducing a window badge system that displayed the number of volunteers from each household.

Mrs. Vaughan supported her husband's parliamentary endeavors and occasionally stood in for him at political functions when illness prevented his attendance. She traveled with him to the United States and shared observations on American social, political, and industrial matters with various organizations. Honored with an O.B.E. in 1920 for her patriotic contributions during the war, she died in Thornleigh, New South Wales, in 1927, leaving behind her husband and daughter.