From the birth of John Good in 1801, to a modern day multi-subsidiary group – the story of the John Good Group is one of leading the way, overcoming adversity, building for the future and above all, acting on the values we stand for. Our rich heritage is something we are proud of, and to celebrate this, we have made this timeline full of historic moments in our own history, and that of our national maritime, trade and travel industries.
For those interested in learning more, many of the artefacts and photos from our history can be viewed in our company archives which are held at the History Centre in Hull.
A child discovers a world of struggle and opportunity
1801 - Birth of John Good
1813 - John Good goes to Sea
1813 - John Good goes to Sea
1826 - John Good becomes a master of his first ship
Using the experience of a lifetime to benefit others
1833 - Ship’s Chandlery opens
1854 - Crimean war halts business
1859 - Company owns first vessel
1859 - Company owns first vessel
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
Taking our business and customers off the beaten track
1864 - Thomas and Joseph take over the business
1864 - Thomas and Joseph take 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
1870 - Joint shipping venture with Reckitts
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.
1883 - Finnish Agency business grows
1891 - John Good assists in “The Great Migration”
1891 - John Good assists in “The Great Migration”
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.
1894 - Ambrose Good starts tourism business
1894 - Ambrose Good starts tourism business
Overcoming the devastation of the first world war
1908 - John Good becomes a limited company
1908 - John Good becomes a limited company
1914 - Another ship-ownership venture is thwarted by war
1914 - Another ship-ownership venture is thwarted by war
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.
1919 - Ambrose Good becomes Vice-consul for Finland
1919 - Ambrose Good becomes Vice-consul for Finland
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.
1930 - Tourism takes off
1930 - Tourism takes off
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...
One step backwards is followed by many leaps forwards
1939 - War devastates the family business
1939 - War devastates the family business
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.
1946 - Expansion into Forwarding
1946 - Expansion into Forwarding
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
1946 - The first ever IATA accreditation
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
1950 - Expansion to the South
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.
1950 - Expansion into Haulage
1950s - A great place to work
1950s - A great place to work
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.
A new generation drives forward new ways of working
1960s - Fifth Generation takes over the business
1967 - Felixstowe becomes the UKs first container port
1967 - Felixstowe becomes the UKs first container port
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.
1969 - TEPS is formed
1969 - TEPS is formed
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.
1970s - The UKs biggest independent liner agency
1970s - The UKs biggest independent liner agency
1972 - Exploring business opportunities
1972 - Exploring business opportunities
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.
1973 - Investing in the digital revolution
1973 - Investing in the digital revolution
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.
A new journey begins with ambitious goals
1983 - Agency success continues
1983 - Agency success continues
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
2001 - Freight Forwarding business develops
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.
2005 - A period of expansion and acquisition begins
2005 - A period of expansion and acquisition begins
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.
2005 - Good Travel takes a new path
2005 - Good Travel takes a new path
With the appointment of Kevin Harrison as managing director, Good Travel also had a change of direction as it concentrated its expertise on business travel and joined buying group Uniglobe in 2008. The company has since grown organically and also acquisitions including Regent Travel and Mercian Travel.
2010 - AEO status achieved
2011 - Matthew Good Foundation formed
2011 - Matthew Good Foundation formed
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.
Building on our strengths and making long term goals
2014 - New head office built
2016 - Good Travel re-launches
2020 - John Good Logistics Formed