Family background
John Henry Geddes was born on 21 April 1855 in Sydney, NSW, son of John Geddes and Rachael Simpson. He married Haidee Lone Wilshire (1865-1946) on 26 November 1885 at Holy Trinity Church, Berrima and they had six children; 4 sons and 2 daughters. John Henry Geddes died on 22 March 1909 at Folkstone, Kent, England. He left a Will and his estate and assets were assessed at £3,890. Geddes lived in McEvoy Street, Waterloo 1886. His father John Geddes was also an alderman on Waterloo Council.
Occupation & interests
John Henry Geddes was educated at Mr Yarwood’s private school, Sydney. He had a lively interest in the work of refrigeration and the export of frozen meat and other foods and was the head of a large wool and produce firm called ’J H Geddes and Co’ and later became the managing director of the Pastoral Finance Association. After severing his association with this firm he established the firm of ’J H Geddes, Birt & Co’ which engaged in the frozen meat trade. Mr Geddes next went to England as a representative of the Queensland Government, and while there he established the London Central Cold Storage Association.
Community activity
At a meeting of residents from the boroughs of Waterloo, Alexandria and Redfern, in 1886, it was decided that a cricket match between Waterloo/Alexandria versus Redfern should take place on Good Friday and the following Saturday. At the meeting Geddes promised two cups, to be presented as trophies, one for the best batting and one for the best bowling average in the contest.
Local government service
John Henry Geddes was an alderman on Waterloo Council in 1886.
References
‘Municipal Elections’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 February 1886, p.2, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13610897
‘Cricket’, Evening News, 6 April 1886, p. 3, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/111191248