William Reuben Goddard

William Reuben Goddard was born on the 16th June 1847 in London Colney, Hertfordshire, England, the son of George Goddard (1803-1885) and Eliza Arthur (1815-1895).

William arrived in Sydney on the 24th December 1852 with his parents and siblings Henry (1843-1928), John (1845-1896) and Mary Ann (1849-1913) as an immigrant aboard the ship the General Hewitt. They settled in the North Sydney area.

In 1869, William married Bridget McGrath. They had ten children - William (1871-1944), Henry (1872-1874), Naomi (1875-1939), Herbert (1877-1947), Maud (1878-?), Percival (1880-1882), Harold (1884-1939), Horace (1887-1957), Stanley (1888-1914) and Gladys (1894-1921).

William became a prominent boat builder with a workshop and ship yards located at Berrys Bay. He devoted most of his time to building small boats and skiffs, being particularly well-known for the latter.

He died at the family home at 8 West Street, North Sydney on the 14th February 1916 and is buried at Gore Hill Cemetery.