Family background
Thomas Barber Goldfinch was born on 4 March 1813 in Deal, Kent, England, son of Thomas Samuel Goldfinch and Anne Newing. At the age of 12,Thomas went with his parents to Calais, France, where his father tried his hand at the lacemaking business. Thomas returned to England to marry (1) Ann Mary Farley (1815-46) on 20 July 1934 at St James the Apostle Church, Dover, Kent, England and there were eight children; 4 sons and 4 daughters. He married (2) Hannah Plummer (nee Smedley) (1810-85) on 25 August 1846 in Kent, England. There were three children: 2 sons and a daughter. In 1848 Thomas Barber Goldfinch and his family left Calais for Australia, arriving in Sydney on 4 November 1848 by the vessel ’Emperor’. Goldfinch died on 28 June 1898 at his residence in Bargo, NSW, aged 85 years. He was buried at Thirlmere, NSW. He lived in Botany Street, Waterloo 1863-83.
Occupation & interests
Thomas Barber Goldfinch was the Licensee of the following hotels: ’The Friendly Port’, York Street, Sydney, 1853-55 and ’The Salutation Inn’, Botany Road, Waterloo, 1856-58. In 1863-83 he owned a butcher’s shop in Botany Street, Waterloo and from 1884-86 he had a butcher’s shop in Buckland Street, Waterloo. Goldfinch was declared insolvent in 1858 whilst an innkeeper and in 1864 when he was a butcher.
Local government service
Thomas Barber Goldfinch was an alderman on Waterloo Council in 1867-70 representing the East Ward.
References
‘Suburban Municipal Elections’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 February 1867, p. 5, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13140983