Thomas Underwood Groube

  General Notes:

Thomas was born in Taranaki New Zealand, the ninth child of Horatio and Sarah Groube who had come to the colony fifteen years before.
In about 1861 when he was four, the family moved to settle in Victoria, Australia
The first real trace of Thomas begins on October 6th. 1873 when he was appointed to the Department of Mining and Water Supply as a draughtsman, examining surveyors accounts and leave and license plans. He also attended to the correspondence of the branch, and while we know little more of his work there the Government Gazette shows that his salary rose to 245 pounds in 1885 and 275 pounds in 1886 when he was classified a C4. He remained at this level until his last listing in 1889 a total of fourteen years service.
Two years later in 1890 we find Thomas was employed as an insurance, estate and finance agent with Richardson Kerr and Co. He remained in their employ at least until 1892 but most likely until around 1897-89, for in 1898 he had his own office at 372 Flinders Street Melbourne in the Orion Tea Company building. There he remained until 1914 when he moved his office to 435A Collins street. Then in 1920-1 moved again to 100 Queen Street where he stayed until his death in 1927. While the above addresses are listed in Sands and Macdougall, another source also lists "Thomas U. Groube & Sons being located at 443 Bourke Street in 1923,
In all this time he never lived more than a brisk ten minute walk from his parents home at 17 Park Street Hawthorn though he seemed to move frequently. I suppose when you are an estate agent you can find the bargains first and snap them up. The addresses we know of are

1883 - 1888 2 Elphin Grove, off Liddiard Street
1989 - 1890 Lyall Street
1891 - 1896 5 Rathmines Grove
1897 - 1911 14 Liddiard Street
1912 - 1922 9 Mayston Street
1923 - 1927 5 Eric Street.
His career aside. Thomas was very active in other spheres of endeavour, notably music and cricket.
His District career for East Melbourne saw him run up some fantastic averages between 1878 and 1881,179 runs (8.52). He was a fine steady and patient right-hand batsman, fair right-hand medium pace bowler and a good cover and outfielder. With this reputation he became part of cricket history when he was selected in the second official test side to tour England in 1880. The team travelled aboard the SS Garonne via the Suez Canal to England The tour was horribly disorganised from all accounts resulting In just one test match being played at Kennington Oval, London on September 6,7, 8.
Thomas ( and Australia ) did not enjoy great test. Thomas batting number three in the first innings scored just eleven runs before being bowled by A.G. Steel. His second innings was even worse, being caught A. Shaw bowled F. Morley for nought. Australia eventually lost the test by five wickets. The tour was not a total disaster for Thomas as he did get amongst the runs playing against some of the county sides with his beat score being sixty-one against Yorkshire. (Thomas is listed as No. 20 on the Australian Test Cricketers official test numbers in 2003.)
The North Otago Times, (New Zealand) 18 January 1881 reported that: - The Australian cricketers arrived at Bluff early this morning per Ringarooma, and commenced their first match in New Zealand to-day on the Invercargill ground.- Thomas was in the Australian Eleven. They toured for 2 months and often played local teams who fielded 22 cricketers, beating them all.
Thomas continued to play cricket with the Victorian Team and local teams until about 1884.
He was a Cricket Writer for the' Weekly Times'
Thomas' other passion was music and together with his brother and two of his sisters sang in the choir of St, Augustines Church, Hawthorn. Not only did he sing in the choir but from 1898 until 1927 was the choir master.
After his death a wealthy parishioner donated a magnificent pipe organ in his memory, still in use today and bearing a plaque in memory of Thomas.
Contained in the Churches "Notes To Windows And Memorials " in the following entry:-
Over the organ is a brass tablet, erected by the church in
Memory of Mr. Thomas Underwood Groube a son-in-law of the
late Dr Gasman and for Forty years the deservedly popular
choir master "
Thomas was twice married. His first wife was Catherine Gasman the Scottish born daughter of the Reverend Alexander Gasman who was the minister at St. Augustines church and who officiated at their wedding on September 20,1882. Catherine died at the early age of thirty-five, leaving Thomas with the task of raising their three children, Alexander, Leonard and Harold.
Catherine died on the 15/4/1895. Sixteen years later when he was 53, he married a 47 year old spinster Blanche Gertrude Jean Walstab on September 29th 1910 at the Congregational church in East St. Kilda. Blanche was born in Calcutta India. the daughter of a journalist.
In 1923 Thomas developed a heart condition and died of a sudden heart attack "a few minutes after his bath" an August 5th 1927 aged 69. He was buried the next day at the Boroondara cemetery in Kew. His wife Blanche survived him by some twenty years.

Argus (Melbourne, Vic) Monday 8 August 1927.
The funeral of the late Mr. T. U. Groube took place on Saturday at the Boroondara Cemetery, after a preliminary service at the Augustine Congregational Church, Hawthorn. The late Mr. Groube was known as a sportsman and as a musician. He was a noted cricketer, and was a member of the first Australian Test team to visit England in 1880, batting being his strongest feature. He made several famous scores in interstate cricket. His musical interest was chiefly in choral singing, and he was a member of the old Melbourne Liedertafel. For 40 years he was the leader and conductor of the choir at the Augustine Church. He was aged 69 years, and leaves a widow and three sons.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Insurance Agent.

Thomas married Catherine Auchterlonie Gosman, daughter of Alexander Gosman and Jane Buchanan, on 20 Sep 1882 in Hawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria Australia. (Catherine Auchterlonie Gosman was born on 5 Apr 1859 in Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland UK and died on 15 Apr 1895 in Hawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria Australia.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Certificate: (4277).

Thomas next married Blanch Gerte Jean Walshab, daughter of George Arthur Walshab and Mary Annie Nolan, on 29 Sep 1910 in Victoria Australia. (Blanch Gerte Jean Walshab was born about 1861 in Calcutta, West Bengal India (now called Kolkata) and died in 1941 in South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria Australia.)