Saturday, August 20, 2016

Thomas Cuthbert Goudie

Thomas Cuthbert Goudie is the Goudie who came to New Zealand and the first for whom we have photographs. He is the first we have personality for: he was headstrong and imposing. 

He was born on 7 July 1840, the child of William Goudie and Margaret Brown in Maybole but by the age of five both of his parents had died. He was likely raised by his half-brother Andrew. His early life is unclear but he married Sarah Ann Cummings on 3 March 1863 and sailed to New Zealand on the War Spirit just three months later on 23 June 1863. He resided in Devonport for the 30 years until Sarah Ann died in 1893. There's no evidence that they had children and thus not much trace of the life they spent or whether they spent time in Coromandel before her death. According to his obituary in The Coromandel and Mercury Bay Gazette, "About thirty eight years ago (i.e. 1882) the late Mr Goudie together with his brother-in-law, Mr Inglis, came to Cabbage Bay and purchased the property from Mr Bletchinton, on which they commenced farming. Later, Mr Inglis retired and the deceased continued to work the property up till the time of his death." (I haven't found how a Mr Inglis was his brother-in-law as well.)

What is clear is that Sarah Ann was buried in Takapuna in 13 May 1893 and he married Sarah Bessie Bridle in 26 September 1893 in Coromandel. 
He died at the age of 80 years old. 


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