Company Timeline
Six generations of entrepreneurial spirit
John Good Group is a sixth generation business with an impressive three centuries of trading to its name. The company is proud to have roots in the 18th century, dating back to before Canada was even formed. It was one of the original companies to open the route to Finland from England – a bold and ambitious attitude that has been passed down to the current generation of the family, and which is shared by all of our employees.

A historic business with a new-age mindset
Today, John Good Group is a diverse business with a clear mission to be a force for good. We focus on creating strategic solutions that are not only profitable but also benefit our clients, partners, employees, communities and wider society. Our team of passionate professionals are committed to providing exceptional customer service and continuously strive to exceed expectations. We are proud to be a business that puts people and the planet first at all times.

Explore our 190 years of heritage
The timeline below charts how John Good used his seafaring experience to establish a thriving business, the roles the following five generations of his family played in its growth, and how today’s team celebrates our heritage while planning a prosperous, collaborative and sustainable future.








1800 to 1830
John Good’s Early Life
A CHILD DISCOVERS A WORLD OF STRUGGLE AND OPPORTUNITY
1801
Birth of John Good

Portrait of our founder, John Good
John Good was born in Scarborough in 1801, one of 9 children in a poor family, he went to work at the age of 12 to support his family.
1813
John Good goes to Sea

An illustration showing what Queen’s Dock in Hull would have looked like when John Good first went to sea.

An apprenticeship in the shipping trade was not difficult to find in this time before railways were used, so long as you were willing to suffer the sea sickness and dangerous conditions. John nearly died numerous times in his early career at sea – something which influenced his life’s work later on.
John Good wrote about his early life and travels in his diaries, which have survived and are now held in the Hull History Centre archives.
1826
John Good becomes a master of his first ship

By the time he was 25 he was a Master of his own ship, his travels often taking him to the Baltic, where he could not have known he was forming relationships that would set the course of the company for generations to come.
1830 to 1863
The First Years of Business
USING THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME TO BENEFIT OTHERS
1833
Ship’s Chandlery opens

An early illustration of High Street in Hull – by Frederick Schultz Smith (Courtesy of Hull Maritime Museum)

A Map of High Street in Hull showing John Good’s premises
John’s vast experience at sea and personal relationships with Finnish captains made him a well-regarded advisor, and by strategically placing his Chandlery on Salthouse Lane in Hull, the third biggest port in England, the business grew quickly.
1854
Crimean war halts business

A ship carrying butter from Finland to Hull

Extract from Finnish booklet “John Good I Osterbotten” about John Good’s work for the Finnish people after the Crimean War

As Finnish trade picked up, John Good was the agent for the Finland Steamship Company
The Crimean war halted valuable trade between England and the Baltic, but as a Quaker John did not believe in war and maintained his close relationships with the Finnish people – campaigning and fundraising heavily to help support their recovery after the war.

John Good’s 1858 Diary of his travel to Finland

Cover of the Finnish booklet “John Good I Osterbotten”
1859
Company owns first vessel

Barques at Flamborough, the type of vessels that John Good would have owned
After years of investing in ships, the family finally bought its own vessel, named “Sarah,” after John’s wife. Unfortunately, Sarah was lost just 3 years later, an omen that the family perhaps should have heeded as the company’s luck never did change with vessel ownership!
1862
John campaigns for safety at sea

Postcard showing a safety device similar to John Good’s design. His idea improved on the design by being portable and used from the ship instead, as targeting a struggling ship from the land often failed.
By this time, John was taking a back seat at the company to concentrate on his work as a Quaker and invest more in his ideas for improving safety for workers at sea – including his design for a safety rocket to rescue those struggling in the water.

Directions for the use of John Good’s rocket design
1863 to 1900
A New Generation
TAKING OUR BUSINESS AND CUSTOMERS OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
1864
Thomas and Joseph take over the business

Commemorative postcard showing John Good and his two sons Joseph and Thomas – who took over the business
The second generation gradually took over before John Good died in 1879 aged 75, leaving his family and business well provided for. “What a change!” he had remarked earlier in life when he compared his own situation to his father’s – who had died without a penny to his name.
1870
Joint shipping venture with Reckitts

The SS Carolina – the first ship owned by Good Brothers and Co.
New company “Good Brothers and Co.” was formed with James Reckitt. The SS Carolina was their first ship, which foundered two years later. This, plus damage to another ship forced the business to close. A haunting echo of the loss of their first ship “Sarah,” in 1859 the family stopped investing in ships, for now.

The House Flag of Good Brothers and Co. as depicted on a company letterhead in 1870.
1883
Finnish Agency business grows

John Good’s early agency for the Finland Steamship Company included the vessel Sirius.
The Crimean war now in the past, trade was improving again, and the Good family’s trusted connections led them to assist two new Finnish shipping lines trading through Hull – Finska and Wasa, the company acted as agents for Finska for the next 100 years.

John Good’s early agency for the Finland Steamship Company included the vessel Titania
1891
John Good assists in “The Great Migration”


Finnish emigrants onboard a ship in 1893
The famous Finnish migration to America was so grand in scale that a new dock and train platform were built in Hull to handle the numbers of emigrants travelling on to Liverpool. As agents for Finska, the company looked after the needs of over 300,000 migrants that passed through.


A blue badge at the Maritime building in Hull commemorates the work the company did during the great migration
1894
Ambrose Good starts tourism business

One of the first press adverts for holiday tours to Finland
Ambrose foresaw that tourism would evolve from steamship companies and produced what is believed to be the first ever travel guide to Finland in 1899. In 1901 the company started producing its annual travel brochure “Off the Beaten Track,” with tours starting at £3 5s (£240 today), and so began the story of Good Travel Management.

A 1911 sales letter from the John Good Passenger Department

An early passenger ticket
1900 to 1930
Surviving WW1
OVERCOMING THE DEVASTATION OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
1908
John Good becomes a limited company

John Good’s staff at a whist drive in 1913


1909 High Street Fire
As the second generation started to take a back seat, the third generation took over, with Ambrose Good and his cousins William, Harry and Arthur. Shortly after, two fires devastated the High street warehouse in 1909 and 1911 but both times the company took the opportunity to adapt, improve and expand the premises.

Harry Good pictured top left with three Finnish Captains
1914
Another ship-ownership venture is thwarted by war

Record of war services at John Good – 1919
The company made a third attempt at investing in ships, buying the SS Atbara and forming The Red Steam Ship Company, only for Baltic trade to be halted one month later. A shortage of shipping kept their vessels busy during the war, but the business was unable to overcome the post war economic slump and closed in 1924.

Despite the halt of trade with the Baltic, the company received an Illuminated address from the Finland Steamship Company on their 80th anniversary in 1915.
1919
Ambrose Good becomes Vice-consul for Finland

Portrait of Ambrose Good
The consul’s tasks included recording incidents at sea and arranging inquests and even funerals for Finnish workers. At the same time, he and four other members of the family were awarded the Order of the White Rose 1st Class. The Finnish consul position is still held by a member of the Good family today.

John Good meeting the Finnish Ambassador in 1961
1930
Tourism takes off

SS Aallotar – a steamship for which John Good were agents carrying passengers to the Baltic, illustrated by Hull artist Harry Hudson Rodmell, 1938

Tourist map from “Off the Beaten Track” travel brochure, 1939

Cover of “Off the Beaten Track” travel brochure painted by Hull artist Harry Hudson Rodmell, 1933

Cover of “Come to Finland” travel brochure written by Cyril Good, 1927
Ambrose’s foresight about tourism was paying off, with the company selling package holidays on Steamships to Finland, and the “Off the Beaten Track” brochure creating some of the most iconic travel posters of the time. Unfortunately, another war was about to halt this side of the business…

Cover of “Come to Finland” travel brochure written by Cyril Good, 1927

Cover of “Off the Beaten Track” travel brochure, 1928
1930 to 1960
Recovery and expansion after WW2
ONE STEP BACKWARDS IS FOLLOWED BY MANY LEAPS FORWARDS
1939
War devastates the family business

Bomb damage to High Street in 1945 (Courtesy of Hull Maritime Museum)

Edward and John Good off to war in 1939

A 1939 letter regarding cancelled advertising services due to the war
Just one year after the company employed its fourth-generation family members, war broke out and all sailings were cancelled. The company survived on work for the Ministry of Supply, but the High Street premises were completely destroyed as Hull became the most bombed city outside of London. In a final blow – Ambrose’s son Cyril was killed at war, leaving the job of post-war recovery to his cousins John and Geoffery.

Portrait of Cyril Good, who was killed during the war
1946
Expansion into Forwarding

Advert showing the company offices at Maritime Building in Hull, advertising agency, forwarding and passenger services.
A forwarding department was established for the first time – a venture that would eventually overtake agency work as largest part of the business. Agency work was transforming from port agency to general agency, which the company adapted to well, but bigger changes would come later on.
1946
The first ever IATA accreditation

The first IATA certificate, which the company still holds today
An IATA accreditation allows a company to issue and administrate airline tickets. Our company was the first travel agency to receive the accreditation and still holds it today. The travel department expanded as airline and coach holidays became popular throughout the 50s.
1950
Expansion to the South

A 1950 advert for our latest agency – Argo

Arcturus – an Argo agency ro-ro vessel
Until now the company had operated from Hull and the north, but a new agency contract for Argo Line enabled a new office to open in London. Also, the dock labour union’s power over operations were making ports like London and Hull less competitive, so in 1959 a joint venture was started at Ipswich – a small port under less strict control by unions.

The first Ipswich office in 1965 – the office can be seen on the left of the picture
1950
Expansion into Haulage

One of our first haulage vehicles
In the 1950s we made our first ventures into Haulage – acquiring a small fleet of lorries to serve shipments at the port of Hull. Like tourism in the early 1900s, this early investment in haulage was to become a very successful wing of the business in the future.

Geoffrey Good – who drove much of the company’s post war expansion
1950's
A great place to work

Head Office at 71 High Street, Hull in 1960

A 1965 company exhibition
Despite the devastation of two world wars, and all the changes now happening in the industry, the company was known as a great employer. The offices were modest but a happy place, with a social club providing dances, outings and sports and a pension scheme, good holiday allowance, annual bonuses and long service awards – the latter of which there were many as most staff had served through both wars.

Ambrose and Edward Good featuring in a BBC broadcast about trade with Finland

View of the rear of the office in 2007 before it was demolished
1960 to 1980
Modernising the industry
A NEW GENERATION DRIVES FORWARD NEW WAYS OF WORKING
1960's
Fifth Generation takes over the business

John Good, the current owner of the company
Cyril Good’s son – John Good – joined the company in 1953 and then joined the board in 1969 along with his cousins Anthony and Andrew after following the family tradition of spending time working in Finland, learning the language.
1967
Felixstowe becomes the UKs first container port

Palletisation became the standard in the 1950s, this picture shows one of our warehouses in the early 1970s.
In the 50s, Victorian-style warehouses had come to an end with the invention of the pallet, and roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) services. In the 60s, containerisation followed – with new container ports opening in Felixstowe in 1967 and Hull in 1973. A ship went from spending two weeks in port to two days, and a port that needed 4000 workers in the 1950s would go on to need only 400.

Picture showing a container being transported in 1972 from one of our warehouses.
1969
TEPS is formed

Palletisation became the standard in the 1950s, this picture shows one of our warehouses in the early 1970s.
The company already had a small haulage department but invested early in palletisation by starting up joint venture Trans-European Port Services (TEPS) – one of the first companies to focus on a pallet exchange system. Today TEPS is wholly owned by the John Good Group and is a major operator in warehousing and distribution.
1970's
The UKs biggest independent liner agency

MACS is our longest running agency today

A 1976 Hull Daily Mail advert showing the latest logo for the company, with a growing list of offices
New communications technologies meant that shipping lines had started to do their own agency work, putting many agents out of business. John Good’s reputation for trust, integrity and reliability meant that they retained much of the work left and became the biggest agent in UK. They took on their first deep sea liner contracts – some of which are still held today – which took them to many new ports all over the world.
1972
Exploring business opportunities

Humberside Storage warehouse in 1972

Humberside Storage Brochure in 1972
Another successful venture the company invested in was Welton North Sea Trailers which still exists today under new ownership. In 1972 Humberside storage was created but only lasted 7 years as the grip of the dock workers union made the business unprofitable, the warehouse on Springfield way in Hull was sold and a Morrisons Supermarket stands there today.

An advert for Welton North Sea Trailers 1977
1973
Investing in the digital revolution

Orwell Data Services as advertised in our 1980 company brochure
The company has always been an early adopter of new technology and invested in new company Orwell Data Services, where the FACTS software was developed and used throughout the industry for many years. Many things had changed in the industry over the past few decades, but nothing would transform the business quite like the digital revolution that was now well on its way.
1980 to 2012
The business enters its third century
A NEW JOURNEY BEGINS WITH AMBITIOUS GOALS
1986
Agency success continues

John Good receiving the grant of arms as president of the Chartered Institute of Shipbrokers in 1986
Despite the shrinking agency market leading to the loss of principals like Finska after 100 years, agency work kept the business going. Smaller lines still valued the experience on offer by an agency, and the respect the Good family still commanded in the industry was evident as John Good became president of the Chartered Institute of Shipbrokers in 1986. But the management could see that the company would still need to change course if it was to survive…
2001
Freight Forwarding business develops


The forwarding department transport a fountain to Bahrain in 2000

Head Office at Maritime House in Hull – 2007
In 2001 John Rutherford joined the leadership team with the goal of developing the freight forwarding department. Within 5 years freight forwarding overtook agency in sales. The company moved its head office to Maritime House in 2003, and in 2008 John Rutherford became the first ever non-family member to chair the board after the retirement of John Good.

Members of the Group Board in 2007
2005
A period of expansion and acquisition begins


Felixstowe Warehouse
The Felixstowe office opened in 2005 and has since become one of our biggest offices. New offices also went on to open at London Gateway, Plymouth, Liverpool and Bradford.
A range of other businesses were also acquired over the next 15 years including Felixstowe Warehousing, FOCS Logistics, CBI Transportation, DAN Shipping, Bay Shipping, Cougar Freight Services, Connaught, Rewico and our Turkey office.

DAN Shipping
2005
Good Travel takes a new path

Felixstowe Warehouse
In 2005 Kevin Harrison and David North joined Good Travel to re-focus the business to be primarily a corporate travel agency and this included a rebrand, move to the name Good Travel Management and to grow the business back in a B2B marketplace. Its big breakthrough came in 2006 when they won the travel account for the University of Hull, thereby growing the business by 40% overnight. Good Travel then became a partner in global travel group Uniglobe in 2007.

DAN Shipping
2010
AEO status achieved

The company achieved AEO status in 2010
An AEO is an “Authorised Economic Operator” that meets the criteria required to be considered reliable and trustworthy in their Customs-related operations. John Good Shipping achieved the status in 2010, followed by TEPS in 2012.
2011
Matthew Good Foundation formed

A Good family photo taken around 2007 – left to right: Tim, Julie, John, Matthew
John’s son, Matthew had been a director at the company since 2006. Not long after becoming joint managing director for the group in 2011, Matthew died suddenly and unexpectedly whilst running for charity. The company had already started work on setting up a charitable foundation – so they named the foundation after him and doubled their initial pledge in his honour.

The three peaks walk was one of the first charity events that the foundation matched the donation for.
2012 to Present
Our Onward Journey
BUILDING ON OUR STRENGTHS AND MAKING LONG TERM GOALS
2014
New head office built


Matthew Good House – the new company head office in Hull
In 2014 the company commissioned the build of a brand-new purpose-built head office on the new Bridgehead Business Park – one of the greenest business parks in the UK, with preserved nature areas, solar panels and electric car charging.
2016
Good Travel re-launches

The rebrand launch event for Good Travel management
Becoming “Good Travel Management,” the new brand and vision for the future reflected the company’s ambition as a provider of consultancy and technology led solutions.

Good Travel winning the Uniglobe Service Excellence Award in 2018
2020
John Good Logistics Formed

The company brands that will be merged to form John Good Logistics
Recognising an opportunity to combine all the expertise the group now owned through growth and acquisition – many of the subsidiary companies merged in January 2020 to become one company – John Good Logistics, providing third party logistics services.

One of the first management meetings at the new company – John Good Logistics
2021
John Good Logistics rebrands as Good Logistics

The company brands that will be merged to form John Good Logistics
John Good Logistics revealed its new brand and trading name, Good Logistics, in its first-ever end-to-end rebrand.

It followed dynamic growth for the company that saw its turnover increase by 146% in the previous four years.
2021
John Good Group sells Good Logistics

On 31st August 2021, the John Good Group completed the sale of Good Logistics to Denholm Group for an undisclosed sum.
The Group announced that proceeds from the sale would be progressively re-invested in the existing businesses and in new trading activities, that focus on the Group’s strategic direction of being predominantly focused upon new innovative and sustainable businesses. The proceeds would also support the development of the Matthew Good Foundation.
2022
Tim Good Becomes 6th Generation and Majority Shareholder

Tim Good becomes the 6th generation of John Good Group and was recently named in the Top 100 Family Business United List
“To be recognised in the top 100 and to be named among such strong family businesses, is a real milestone in our journey in making John Good Group a force for good. We understand the true meaning of a family business and the positive impact it can have on not just our own people, but people within the communities where we operate and across the UK. It is a testament to the team here at John Group that we can genuinely realise our vision and that is to ensure that the environment and the communities we work alongside benefit from our day-to-day business activities.”
2022
Adam Walsh Joins as CEO

Embedding the 3 strategic pillars of People, Planet and performance and creating a group of companies that are a genuine force for good.
Adam Walsh, joins John Good Group as the new CEO to take Tim Good’s vision leaving the business and planet in a better place than the one we inherited.
2023
John Good Group Transforms its Branding

John Good Group transforms its brand in 2023 to reposition itself as a trusted expert in business evolution, growth, and strategy.
2023
John Good Group Wins Prestigious People’s Choice Family Business of the Year, Yorkshire Award

Presented by Family Business United, an organisation created to champion family firms, John Good Group won People’s Choice Family Business of the Year. The awards ceremony was held at The Royal College of Physicians on June 21, 2023. The event celebrated the dedication and achievement of family businesses in the United Kingdom.
2023
Good Travel Management Acquires Wexas

Good Travel Management acquires corporate travel division Wexas.
As Good Travel Management continues to revolutionise the corporate travel experience; they announced the acquisition of the Wexas Travel Management corporate customer base. This addition means our travel team consists of over 50 passionate professionals.
2023
Announces Operationally Carbon Neutral since 2022

John Good Group has achieved operational carbon neutrality as of 2022 and announces further reduction plans.
John Good Group has achieved operational carbon neutrality for all its businesses. It’s a significant step towards the long-term sustainability plans. The Group has reduction initiatives in place to continue at pace over the coming years to ensure the business is reducing its emissions as much as possible.
2023
TEPS Crowned Winner at the Yorkshire & Humberside Family Business Awards

TEPS have won big at the Yorkshire & Humberside Family Business Awards, being crowned the winners of the Haulage Transport & Logistics category.
TEPS has been announced as the winner of the Haulage Transport & Logistics category at the prestigious Yorkshire & Humberside Family Business Awards. The awards ceremony was a vibrant celebration of the resilience and innovation in family-run businesses across the region.
2023
DAN Shipping and Bay Shipping Crowned Winner for Customer Care at the IBJ Awards

DAN Shipping and Bay Shipping are crowned winners for customer care at the International Bulk Journal awards.
The International Bulk Journal Awards is a distinguished event renowned for spotlighting the remarkable accomplishments in the maritime bulk industry.
2023
Launch of brand-new initiative, Living the Dream

Our people enable us to fulfil our vision, so we want to show our appreciation by launching our Living the Dream initiative.
John Good Group have launched a brand-new initiative, Living the Dream, that gives a chance for all employees to live their unique dream. Twice a year at the Christmas party and Summer BBQ, an employee’s name is pulled out and they will be given the opportunity to live the dream they submitted, which will be all funded by JGG.
2024
John Good Group Celebrates Grand Opening of New Hull Headquarters

John Good Group has officially opened its doors to its brand-new head office, Quarry House.
Quarry House is a testament to John Good Group’s commitment to sustainability and investing in creating a working environment that prioritises both well-being and performance. Every choice was considered from multiple perspectives including commercial, employee experience and sustainability.
The grand opening of the purpose-built office was marked by the company’s Annual General Meeting, where John Good Group welcomed the Good family shareholders and wider stakeholders to the new building.
2024
TEPS Announces brand-new Head Office facility and Increased Warehouse capacity.

The multi-million-pound investment in the new facilities amplifies TEPS’s advanced logistics and inventory management systems, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and capacity. With the new state-of-the-art 25,000 sq.ft warehouse, capable of housing 5,000 pallets, TEPS have increased their capacity to nearly 200,000 sq. ft, helping meet the demand for TEPS’ services.
2024
John Good Group Strengthens Maritime Division with Key Acquisition

John Good Group’s DAN Shipping & Chartering Ltd, has acquired Arthur Smith (Grimsby) Ltd.
The acquisition of Arthur Smith is a pivotal expansion for the Maritime Division of John Good Group and a strategic move into the offshore sector. Arthur Smith, under the leadership of David Smith & James Smith, will be integrated into the operations of the Maritime Division, alongside DAN Shipping & Bay Shipping.
2024
John Good Group wins the Family Business of the year for sustainability award

John Good Group announced that it has been crowned the winner of the Family Business of the Year for Sustainability award. This accolade is presented by Family Business United, an organisation created to champion family firms.
This award shows the recognition of our continued efforts to try and take responsibility for our actions, in the face of this global challenge.
2024
John Good Group strengthen the Travel Division with CT Travel Group

Good Travel Management and CT Travel Group have joined forces to establish a new £85m turnover travel group. This strategic move will accelerate the business’ aggressive growth plans in the Business Travel, Incentive, Groups & Events, Trade Missions and Leisure Travel markets.
2024
John Good Group opens up new growth opportunities with the acquisition of Nothing But Padlocks

John Good Group have marked their entry into e-commerce through acquiring Nothing But Padlocks, a specialist retailer of padlocks and security solutions. Even more exciting, Rich Quelch will be taking on the role of Managing Director. He will bring his expertise in business growth and revenue generation strategies.