Family background
John Goddard was born in London in 1854 and arrived in Sydney with his parents in 1855. He was apprenticed to a builder about 1869 when aged 15. He married Elizabeth Taylor in 1876 and had three children by 1888. John Goddard lived in Harold Street next to his woodworking mill. He appears to have died about 1893.
He was possibly related to Reuben Sydney Goddard, who served on Newtown Council.
Occupation & interests
John Goddard went into business as a builder about 1878 and built a woodworking mill about 1884. By 1885, along with his partners George Kelly and Thomas Brown, he had built over 800 houses in the area and had contracts in Glebe, Petersham, Ashfield and Alexandria. They had recently completed Trinity Church, Macdonaldtown. In November 1887, Thomas Brown left the partnership. Goddard was bankrupt in May 1888.
Community activity
John Goddard was Worshipful Master of Macdonaldtown Masonic Lodge and President of Newtown Waratah Cricket Club.
Local government service
John Goddard was an alderman on Macdonaldtown (Erskineville) Council in 1885-87. He was mayor in 1885-86.
References
Aldine Centennial History of New South Wales, Sydney, 1888
‘Advancement of Macdonaldtown’, Evening News, 2 June 1885 p 2, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/111021428
‘Cricket’, Sydney Morning Herald, 20 Aug 1885 p 10, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13595796
‘Advertising’, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 Oct 1887 p 12, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13649225
‘Business Announcements’, Sydney Morning Herald, 5 Nov 1887 p 3, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28346007