Collection C4 - Goldie family collection - Guelph Public Library

The Goldie family members were prominent mill owners, citizens and politicians in Guelph. James Goldie (1824-1912) and his wife, Frances Owen (1824-1908) and young son Thomas (1850-1892), moved to Guelph in 1850 from Utica, New York, where James had learned the milling trade. After his arrival in Guelph, James Goldie bought and rebuilt two mills in the area. In 1860, he purchased a barrel and stave factory, located on present-day Speedvale Avenue by the Speed River. On this site, he built a flour mill and a new house for his family. In 1866, he also purchased the burned out remains and land of the People's Mill on Cardigan Street by the river. When this mill was rebuilt, he sold the Speedvale mill to John Pipe in 1867-1868. The family then moved into a house on Cardigan Street. By this time, James and Frances Goldie had four more sons, named John (1852-1904), James Owen (1854-1922), Roswell (1862-1931) and Lincoln (1894-1931).

Like his father, Thomas Goldie became a well educated man, having studied at the Wellington District Grammar School, McGill University in Montreal, and the Eastman National Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York. He also gained valuable business experience while working in Milwaukee and Montreal.

In 1876, Thomas Goldie married Emma J. Mitchell (1853-1940). She and Thomas lived in the house known as Rosehurst, originally built for Dr. William Clarke. Thomas and Emma had five children: Frances (1879- ), Ruth (1881- ), Thomas Leon (1882-1916), Roswell Thompson (1887- ) and Emma Gwendolyn (1890- ).

Thomas Goldie became the manager of his father's mill and acted as president, while his brothers, James Owen and Roswell, were vice-president and secretary of the company respectively. During these years, the mill continued to flourish with the addition of railway spur lines built in 1881 and 1888.

Thomas Goldie became involved in local politics and was elected as an alderman for the St. David's Ward in 1881, 1883, 1884, and 1885-1890, serving on various committees and boards.

Thomas also served as a high school trustee, from 1882 to 1884, and was an active leader of the Wellington Conservative Association, especially in Guelph. For nine years, he also served as the Chairman of the Board of Managers of Knox Church in Guelph.

In 1891, Thomas Goldie was elected mayor of Guelph and proceeded with an ambitious campaign of public works improvments, including the waterworks and distribution system, electrical delivery system, and construction of permanent sidewalks. He was also responsible for the hiring of Guelph's first City Engineer to manage these local improvement projects. Thomas was re-elected mayor in January, 1892. He died on February 4, 1892, the second of Guelph's mayors to die while in office.

For more historical information on the Goldie family, please see B.M. Durtnell's article: Guelph's Beloved Mayor. The article can be found in the Guelph Historical Society's publication, Historic Guelph, volume XXIX, September 1990, p. 4-15.