Before now:
— Why didn't you tell me in the first place?.

synoniemen: earlier, in the beginning, originally, to begin with.

Roget 66: at the beginning, in the beginning, etc. n.; first, in the first place, imprimis [Lat.], first and foremost; in limine [Lat.]; in the bud, in embryo, in its infancy; from the beginning, from its birth; ab initio [Lat.], ab ovo [Lat.], ab incunabilis [Lat.], ab origine [Lat.].    ... meer laten zien

Of primary import:
— It was in the first place a local matter.

synoniem: primarily.