New release: GOOLE, A PICTORIAL HISTORY, VOL. 4 by Susan Butler.
Now available from local shops and to order online.

Keep up with local history news and information in the area on my blog - East Yorkshire History

These pages include information about a wide range of people who have all, in their own way, made their contribution to the history of Goole. Members of the WEA Goole Local History Class have gathered a wealth of material about a variety of Goole people from the last few centuries.

We have carried out interviews, searched old newspapers, and conducted genealogical research about Goole families. The findings have been preserved in a scrapbook of "Goole Worthies", from which the following accounts are taken. If you would like to comment on any of the people described, please do get in touch.

Further material has also been kindly provided by the editor of The Norseman, the interesting and informative magazine of the Boothferry Family and Local History Group.

The alphabetical links below provide a more detailed account of each of these "Goole Worthies" -- more people to come!

• William Hamond Bartholomew - a 19th century Aire & Calder engineer, who hugely influenced the development of the port of Goole

• William Brook - obituary for the headmaster of Alexandra Street School in Goole during the 1870s and 1880s

• Thomas Bunker & wife Sarah Sophia - 19th century headmaster of the Goole National School and district tax collector, as well as a founder of the Goole Scientific Society; Sarah Sophia Bunker was involved with the Girls' Friendly Society.

• William Eden Cass - Goole's first doctor, born 1801, who sailed to the Arctic and battled cholera in Victorian Goole

• Reuben Chappell - Goole's marine artist - his childhood in Goole, his first studio on Jackson Street, and memories from Reuben's son Cecil Chappell.

• Captain Edmund Ralph Creyke - a member of the Creyke family of Rawcliffe Hall; a keen sportsman, and a popular leader of the Goole Territorial Force. He was killed in action during the First World War.

• The Dails family of Goole - details of this interesting 19th century family, including John Dails, commision agent (originally from Russia) and his daughter Diana Dails, who ran a Ladies' School on East Parade.

• Edward Deyes - a well-known Goole figure, he was headmaster of the Goole National School and a stalwart supporter of Goole Parish Church, as organist, choir member and parish clerk, until his death in 1901.

• Thomas Duckels - was shot and killed by his master, George Smith of Goole Grange, in 1862. Various interesting newspaper reports of the case and eyewitness accounts of the incident.

• Mrs Hannah Dyson - known as the 'Swinefleet Centenarian', she died in 1898 aged 101. Her family worked for the Empsons of Ousefleet Hall.

• Rev. Henry Earl - originally from Carlisle, Henry Earl came to Goole in 1824 and became the town's first Minister.

• Clarence Jacob Forth - "C. J." was the first headmaster of Goole Secondary (Grammar) School and a much-respected Goole figure. Goole Times newspaper articles detail his retirement in 1931 and his death in 1946 back in his native Kirby Muxloe.

• Harold Garside - known for many years as Goole's local historian until his death in 1967. The wealth of historical material he gathered during his lifetime forms the basis of Goole's Library and Museum collections.

• George Alan Glew - the last eponymous owner of Glew's Garage, Goole

• Mary Elizabeth Green - the "Little Angel" of Goole; interviewed in 1970, when she was voted Britain's Oldest Knitter!

• George Greenfield - an interview in 1900, describing his early memories of Goole ... the building of the canal, port, schools, coming of the railway etc.

• H. C. Ferdinand Hartmann & wife Emma Louisa Smith - two detailed obituaries. Mr Hartmann was a well-known ship broker and head of commerce in 19th and early 20th century Goole. Mrs Hartmann was a staunch Methodist, philanthropist and a prominent civic figure in Goole.

• H. C. Ferdinand Hartmann - an article in the 1915 Goole Times denouncing the vicious accusations made by Mr T White against Mr Hartmann, regarding his nationality and alleged support of Germany in WW1.

• Edward Cragg Haynes - originally from Barbados, Rev. E. C. Haynes was the vicar of Swinefleet and also ran schools at both Swinefleet and Goole during the 19th century.

• Mary Elizabeth Henderson - a well-known Goole singer, artist and horse-rider throughout the twentieth century.

• Jack Hewitt - the Goole boy who saved a councillor's son from drowning and travelled to meet King George V and Winston Churchill.

• Colonel Everatt Hind - joined the Goole Company of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (K.O.Y.L.I.) and was promoted to Colonel; he was also a director of the Thorne Water Company. Colonel Hind died in Switzerland in 1926.

• William Everatt Hind - a Goole solicitor, chairman of the Local Board, and well-known public figure; died in 1892.

• James Hewitt Hodson - the well-known Resident Agent to the Aire & Calder Navigation Company at Goole during the 19th century.

• Alexander Frederick Hood (Gregory) - the last squire of Airmyn Hall, agent for the local Percy estate, and chairman of the Goole board of magistrates.

• Joseph 'Pilot' Jackson - member of a large and long-established Goole family. He started his seagoing career as a cabin boy and later became a well-known Humber and Ouse pilot; died in 1901 aged 73.

• Jolliffe and Banks - the civil engineers who carried out much work in the development of the "new settlement" of Goole, including the excavation of the first docks in 1822.

• Lou Laister - Lou (Lewis) Laister was for many years well known as Goole's poet and social commentator. He was a former seaman, who had served in the Royal Navy during the First World War.

• Ralph Longhorn - an Airmyn blacksmith who became a Goole Rural District Councillor and helped in the rescue of survivors from the Airmyn ferry-boat disaster of 1922.

• Robert Plewes - his 1981 Goole Times obituary. Robert Plewes was Mayor of Goole for 1962-1963 and surveyor for the Goole Rural District Council; also a Goole churchwarden and Chairman of Goole Historical Association.

• John William Pullon - the Town Clerk of Goole during the 1920s and 1930s; his 1938 Goole Times newspaper obituary.

• Thomas Scott - owner of the Victoria Engineering & Shipbuilding Works at Goole during the 19th century.

• Thomas Sheppard - history and family details of the founder of Sheppards' music shop, established in Goole in 1887.

• George Smith of Goole Grange - several fascinating reports of his alleged murder of manservant Thomas Duckels in 1862; George Smith's defence and subsequent acquittal; further separate accusations of a breach of marriage contract with housekeeper Harriet Townhend.

• Mary Elizabeth Thickett - headmistress of Old Goole Girls' School and of the Alexandra Street School in Goole in the early 20th century.

• Cyril Rhodes Townend & wife Elizabeth Wetherall - obituaries for these well-known Goole residents; details of Mr C. R. Townend's history as an accountant, councillor and local magistrate.

• George West - a well-known local Methodist lay preacher & antiquarian from Swinefleet; author of "Methodism in Marshland". A long 1893 obituary details the life of this much-loved local figure.

• Henry Silvester White - ran a drapery shop in 19th century Goole; he was also a respected local figure and involved with Goole Parish Church, Goole Flower Show and many other worthy causes.

• The family of Henry Silvester White - details of this accomplished Goole family, including H S White's wife Jane; his son Frank, a bank manager in Bombay; his son Charles, an engineer; his son George William, a photographer in Goole; and his son Charles, a solicitor.

• William Watkin Winn - the North-Eastern Railway Stationmaster at Goole during the nineteenth century; his 1889 Goole Times obituary.

• Captain Samuel Wright - well-known and greatly respected townsman, long associated with the Goole and Hull Steam Packet Company during the 19th century; master of the 'Empress' steamer; Goole harbourmaster for the Aire & Calder Company.