Family background
Frederick John Goodsell was born in Sussex, England on 13 March 1814 as the son of John and Mary Goodsell. He arrived in Sydney in 1839, joined by his wife Sarah Sivyer, whom he had married in 1831.
He was member of the brickmaking Goodsell family and managed his uncle’s brickworks at St Peters from 1863. His wife died in 1868, and the following year, Goodsell married Mary Jones. Living in Cooks River Road in the 1850s and 60s, he was in 1881 noted at King Street, later moving to Pearl Street, Camdenville. Frederick John Goodsell died at Pearl Street on 11 June 1888, survived by three sons and three daughters.
Occupation & interests
The Goodsell family were one of the most important brickmakers in the colony. Frederick J. Goodsell’s uncle, Henry Wesley Goodsell, established the Goodsell brickwork around St Peters Railway station after arriving in the colony in 1838. Frederick John Goodsell managed the brickworks from 1863.
The company made high quality red bricks, and in 1871 produced the first plastic shale bricks. Frederick John Goodsell went into partnership with Enoch Hughes and Alfred Tye to automate their works with steam-operated moulding machinery.
Community activity
Frederick John Goodsell was Treasurer of the Wesleyan Sabbath School’s Committee.
Local government service
Frederick John Goodsell was an alderman on Newtown Council in 1866-68, 1872-74, and 1878-86, representing Enmore Ward.
References
Biographical information for this alderman was originally researched by Mark Matheson for the Newtown Project Website.
‘Advertising’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 17 June 1870, 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13206946
‘Advertising’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2 February 1871, 1, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13221089
‘In Insolvency’, NSW Government Gazette, 21 May 1886, Issue No. 285, 3563, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221684675
‘Family Notices’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 June 1888, 14, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13688968