James Goyen
Encyclopedia
The builder, James Goyen, (10 May 1905 to 3 April 1984) constructed many houses and other buildings in the St George
District, south of the Cooks River
, New South Wales
, Australia
. Initially he had trained as a carpenter. His ability, leadership skills, personal qualities and business acumen transformed him from an employee to a builder of note. Many local tradesmen were employed by him, making him an asset to the district in which he lived.
and, later, at 4 Montgomery Street, Kogarah.
in 1924. Apart from bricking in the basement the house remained unaltered into the late 1990s. (Martha's son, Charles Nicholas Mannins, later became a builder as well. Mannins Avenue, Kingsgrove
is named after him because he constructed the houses in the street.)
The Depression of the 1930s disrupted his building work. During this period he found work as an employee of a greengrocer.
Many of the houses built by James have a distinctive, decorative brickwork which was often used as a signature to his work. Goyen Avenue, Bexley was named after him for he was responsible for the construction of the houses in the street. Houses with this unique style of brickwork are characteristic of many houses in the avenue. Other houses with his typical style of brickwork are dotted around the district. These include houses in George Street, Rockdale and in Bay Street, Brighton-Le-Sands
(on the south side of the street, just east of West Botany Street, Rockdale).
After World War II there was a housing shortage leading to a frenzy in house construction. Building materials became very scarce. James and his business partner, C R McIntyre, won the tender to construct houses in a new estate in Brighton-le-Sands in what is now McIntyre Avenue. The contrast in housing design and construction between the pre-war houses in Goyen Avenue and those in McIntyre Avenue reflect this difficulty in obtaining suitable and adequate building materials. This contrast is further reflected by the differences in building materials used in McIntyre Avenue and in the house built nearby several years earlier at 6 Carinya Ave for James' cousin. James was engaged to build the house. But he saw how scarce building materials were becoming and he was not free to start the construction for some months. So James passed the responsibility for building the house at 6 Carinya Avenue to his bricklayer, Mr Cheyney, to ensure that adequate building materials were available for the construction of the house.
, on Georges River
. He was responsible for the design, construction of dwellings and promotion of the new suburb.
. Although his birth was registered as "Nicholas" James was baptised as "James Albert", the name he used throughout his life and in his business name. He only found his registered name by accident later in life. Jimmy, his wife, Mary, and their four daughters lived at several addresses in Bexley and at 2 George Street, Rockdale before moving to Cronulla.
St George, New South Wales
St George Area is an unofficial name applied to a group of southern suburbs in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The area includes all the suburbs in the local government areas of the City of Hurstville, the City of Rockdale and the Municipality of Kogarah...
District, south of the Cooks River
Cooks River
The Cooks River is a 23 kilometre long urban waterway of south-western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia emptying into Botany Bay. The course of the river has been altered to accommodate various developments along its shore...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Initially he had trained as a carpenter. His ability, leadership skills, personal qualities and business acumen transformed him from an employee to a builder of note. Many local tradesmen were employed by him, making him an asset to the district in which he lived.
Works depot
James' company was registered as J A Goyen Pty, Ltd and is listed in relevant phone books. By 1972 the company was in the names Goyen, J A and McIntyre, C R. His works depot was at 18 Montgomery Street, KogarahKogarah, New South Wales
Kogarah is a suburb of southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kogarah is located 14 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is considered to be the centre of the St George area...
and, later, at 4 Montgomery Street, Kogarah.
House building
The first house built by James ("Jimmy") Goyen was a modest dwelling built for his sister, Martha Mannins, at 36 Gibbes Street, RockdaleRockdale, New South Wales
Rockdale is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rockdale is located 13 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the St George area...
in 1924. Apart from bricking in the basement the house remained unaltered into the late 1990s. (Martha's son, Charles Nicholas Mannins, later became a builder as well. Mannins Avenue, Kingsgrove
Kingsgrove, New South Wales
Kingsgrove is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kingsgrove is located 13 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Rockdale, the City of Hurstville and the City of Canterbury...
is named after him because he constructed the houses in the street.)
The Depression of the 1930s disrupted his building work. During this period he found work as an employee of a greengrocer.
Many of the houses built by James have a distinctive, decorative brickwork which was often used as a signature to his work. Goyen Avenue, Bexley was named after him for he was responsible for the construction of the houses in the street. Houses with this unique style of brickwork are characteristic of many houses in the avenue. Other houses with his typical style of brickwork are dotted around the district. These include houses in George Street, Rockdale and in Bay Street, Brighton-Le-Sands
Brighton-Le-Sands, New South Wales
Brighton-Le-Sands , is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Brighton-Le-Sands is located 13 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, on the western shore of Botany Bay...
(on the south side of the street, just east of West Botany Street, Rockdale).
After World War II there was a housing shortage leading to a frenzy in house construction. Building materials became very scarce. James and his business partner, C R McIntyre, won the tender to construct houses in a new estate in Brighton-le-Sands in what is now McIntyre Avenue. The contrast in housing design and construction between the pre-war houses in Goyen Avenue and those in McIntyre Avenue reflect this difficulty in obtaining suitable and adequate building materials. This contrast is further reflected by the differences in building materials used in McIntyre Avenue and in the house built nearby several years earlier at 6 Carinya Ave for James' cousin. James was engaged to build the house. But he saw how scarce building materials were becoming and he was not free to start the construction for some months. So James passed the responsibility for building the house at 6 Carinya Avenue to his bricklayer, Mr Cheyney, to ensure that adequate building materials were available for the construction of the house.
World War II
James could not serve in the army or air force because of severe deafness, the result of scarlet fever when he was 14 years of age. James and his workmen not of military age were employed by the Public Works Department of New South Wales to build air-raid shelters.Government tenders
James' firm won the tender to construct the first building of the St George Technical College on the site of the old Moorefields Racecourse. The building is located at the corner of President Avenue and Princes Highway, Kogarah. This college is now (in 2007) integrated into a broader TAFE system. http://www.tafensw.edu.au/campuses/location_12.htmSylvania Waters
James' business won the contract to construct the suburb on the new Hooker Estate east of Sylvania WatersSylvania, New South Wales
Sylvania is a suburb, in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sylvania is located 22 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district in the Sutherland Shire....
, on Georges River
Georges River
The Georges River is a waterway in the state of New South Wales in Australia. It rises to the south-west of Sydney near the coal mining town of Appin, and then flows north past Campbelltown, roughly parallel to the Main South Railway...
. He was responsible for the design, construction of dwellings and promotion of the new suburb.
Family background
James Nicholas Jimmy Goyen was born in Surry Hills and died in Kogarah. He was the son of Nicholas Goyen and Eliza Mary Snow Aspinall, daughter of the builder Albert AspinallAlbert Aspinall
Albert Wood Aspinall was an Australian stonemason and builder. He was an expert in constructing round towers and buildings.-Early life:...
. Although his birth was registered as "Nicholas" James was baptised as "James Albert", the name he used throughout his life and in his business name. He only found his registered name by accident later in life. Jimmy, his wife, Mary, and their four daughters lived at several addresses in Bexley and at 2 George Street, Rockdale before moving to Cronulla.