Thomas William
Goodwin

DEATH NOTICE: see the Transvaal Archives, MHG 3087.

Thomas William Goodwin was born in Manchester in July 1850.

He emigrated to the Cape Colony as a young man and became proprietor and editor of the East London Dispatch in June 1874.

In November 1876 he went into partnership with William Lance to create the firm Lance, Goodwin and Company, owners of the Dispatch, as well as stationers and booksellers. The partnership was dissolved in June 1877, with Lance continuing the business alone.

In 1879 Goodwin founded the East London Advertiser, gave up the enterprise in 1885 but resumed control in April 1888. Publication ceased in May that year, however, and the entire plant was transferred to Johannesburg.

He was elected to the East London Town Council in February 1885 to represent Ward 3 in the place of Richard Masters but resigned his seat in September that same year.

Goodwin then moved to Germiston where he worked as an assistant storekeeper on the New Primrose Mine.

He died on 2 April 1903 at the age of 52, while on duty at the mine.