The following article appears in The Cyclopedia of South Australia.

Information courtesy of Faithe Jones.

Thomas Clarke Hockridge, merchant, builder and contractor of Wallaroo, was born at Plymouth, Devon,England, in 1851, and obtained a knowledge of the building trade in his native land. He served his apprenticeship to the stone-setting trade, and as a young man went to America, where he worked at his trade for three years, and then voyaged from San Francisco to Sydney, New South Wales. Proceeding to Melbourne he still further persued his journey to Ballarat and in 1875 came to South Australia, where he soon busily engaged in stone-setting on such buildings as the University, the Institute, the Union Bank, the Bank of Adelaide, and various other well know structures in the City of Adelaide.

Mr Hockridge having established a contracting trade, carried on extensively in the metropolis and subsequently removed to the Watervale district, where he added farming operations to other branches of his business. Ten years later he disposed of his property and purchased a general storekeeping business in Wallaroo, which he afterwards greatly extended by byilding new premised for all departments. This was carried on successfully, and in 1906 he disposed of his grocery and drapery business to his sons, Messrs T R and S G Hockridge, who do a large turnover and employ a numerous staff of assistants. The drapery branch, including tailoring, dressmaking and millinery, is entirely separate from the grocery store, and both command a patronage second to none in the district.

Mr Hockridge in conjunction with his second son William J Hockridge, now conducts a contracting, furnishing, and timber business, and a considerable number of commercial premises, dwelling houses, etc, in the Kadina, Wallaroo, and surrounding districts are of his errection.

The firm also has a large shipping connection being prepared to supply all the wants of ships calling at the Port. The premises comprise two large shops, besides a commodious upstairs showroom, where the largest stock of furniture outside Adelaide is kept. Large quantities of timber, iron etc are also stocked. Mr Hockridge is a member of a Masonic fraternity and a member of the I.O.O.F, M.U.

In 1876 he married Agnes Adelaide, third daughter of the late Mr John Glendinning, of Third Creek, near Maghill, South Australis, and has five sons and three daughters.

Apologies for quality of photographs Left Photograph by Hammer & Co Adelaide of Mr Thomas Clarke Hockridge Below Photo by A R Edwards of Mr T C Hockridge's Residence, Wallaroo