Goodin Brothers Shop decorated for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

We are not sure exactly when the Goodin Brothers business was established in Soham but as you can see from the picture shown on the left they were trading here in 1897, we think it is probably about the 1890's when they started trading here. Frederick Goodin the Proprietor originated from Bottisham in Cambridgeshire, where in the 1881 Census we find him listed with his Family as follows:

Census 1881
34 Lode St, Bottisham.
Mary A Goodin, Head, Widow, aged 55, Master Tailor, Employing 1 Man, 2 Boys, born Bottisham Lode.
David Goodin, Son, aged 23, Tailor, born Bottisham.
Frederick Goodin, Son, aged 21, Drapers Assistant ( Unemployed ), born Bottisham.
Harry G Goodin, Son, aged 15, Tailors Apprentice, born Bottisham.
Edward C Goodin, Son, aged 15, Tailors Apprentice, born Bottisham.
Herbert A Goodin, Son, aged 11, Scholar, Bottisham.

The Goodin Brothers were Drapers and Clothiers, Woollen Drapers etc. Frederick married Miss Bertha Cordelia Crisp, the Daughter of another Shopkeeper in Soham, Mr Thomas George Crisp, they married sometime before 1901 when they are listed in the 1901 Census as follows:

Census 1901
High St Soham.
Fred Goodin, aged 40, Draper & Clothier, born Bottisham.
Bertha Goodin, aged 30, Fancy Shopkeeper, born Soham.
Leslie Goodin, aged 4, born Soham.
Cynthia Goodin, aged 3mths, born Soham.

Goodin Brothers, ( the one with the gas lamps outside ) c.1914.

The premises of the Shop were known as London House, and it appears from old trade directories that whilst Frederick was listed as Tailors and Woollen Drapers, Bertha was listed as Milliner and Fancy Drapers, it seems that they were trading from the same premises, which were quite large and double fronted,

Advert for Goodin Brothers from 1915, you can see they also had a Shop in Ely.

Frederick Goodin died in 1923 aged 63 years and Bertha his Wife died in 1920 aged 49 years , both are buried together in the Soham Cemetery in Fordham Road. Their Son Leslie Oscar Goodin died in 1937 aged 40 years and is buried next to his Parents, they also had a Daughter Cynthia who was a member of the Soham Amateur Dramatic Society, but what happened to her we have yet to discover.

View of Goodins in Fore Hill Ely in December 1906 next door to Woolworths old store.

Goodins Shop as it is to-day.

We don't know when Goodins stopped trading, but the Launderette has been in one half for many years, the other half was at one time David Seals Farm Fresh Greengrocer's Shop, this was trading in the 1990's and is now a Tanning & Beauty Salon.