Thomas Edmonds

Thomas John Edmonds (13 October 1858 – 2 June 1932) was a British-born New Zealand businessman and philanthropist, who created and manufactured Edmonds "Sure to Rise" baking powder and the Edmonds Cookery Book. He also financed the construction of several buildings in Christchurch, including gifting the city a band rotunda and a clock tower in 1929. where he became familiar with the powders used to make sherbet. He married Jane Irvine on 8 June 1879, and both migrated to New Zealand, arriving at Lyttelton aboard the Waitangi on 26 September 1879. Edmonds set up a grocery store in Woolston, on the corner of what is now Edmonds and Randolph Streets.

Business career After learning about the poor reliability of the baking powder then available, he set about formulating his own baking powder and sold the first batch of 200 tins from his own store. Edmonds said he first coined the slogan "sure to rise" when he was reassuring a customer that her scones would not be flat if she used his product.

In 1926, Edmonds set up the Australian Cream of Tartar company in Sydney to manufacture cream of tartar and tartaric acid.

Philanthropy Edmonds financed the construction of several buildings in Christchurch, including the Edmonds factory and gardens, the Theosophical Society building, and the Repertory Theatre. and the Theosophical Society building and the Repertory Theatre were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The Christchurch City Council acquired the remaining portion of the Edmonds factory gardens in 1991, which are now a public garden.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of his migration to Christchurch, Edmonds gifted the city of Christchurch a band rotunda and a clock tower on the Avon River in the central city.

Personal life Edmonds had eight children: four sons and four daughters. His eldest son died in 1914.

Edmonds died of peritonitis on the evening of 2 June 1932, aged 73. Edmonds is buried in Christchurch's Linwood Cemetery alongside his wife (died 1938) and two of their sons.

Legacy In 2005, Edmonds was ranked 45th in New Zealand's Top 100 History Makers. In 2017, he was posthumously inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.