Edmund Goodenough (1786–1845) was an English churchman,

dean of Wells The Dean of Wells is the head of the Chapter of Wells Cathedral in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The dean's residence is The Dean's Lodging, 25 The Liberty, Wells. List of deans High Medieval *1140–1164: Ivo *1164–1189: ...

from 1831.

Life

Goodenough was the youngest son of

Samuel Goodenough Samuel Goodenough ( – 12 August 1827) was the Bishop of Carlisle from 1808 until his death in 1827, and an amateur botanist and collector. He is honoured in the scientific names of the plant genus ''Goodenia'' and the red-capped robin (''Petro ...

bishop of Carlisle The Bishop of Carlisle is the Ordinary (officer), Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Carlisle in the Province of York. The diocese covers the county of Cumbria except for Alston Moor and the former Sedbergh Rural District. The Episcop ...

, by his wife, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Dr. James Ford, physician extraordinary to

Queen Charlotte Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until her death in 1818. The Acts of Un ...

, was born at Baling, Middlesex, on 3 April 1785. At an early age he was sent to

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

, where in 1797, when only twelve years old, he was elected into college. In 1801 he obtained his election to

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

, where he took honours in Easter term 1804, and graduated B.A. 1805, M.A. 1807, B.D. 1819, and D.D. 1820. Having taken orders, Goodenough became tutor and censor of Christ Church, and in 1810 was appointed curate of Cowley,

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

. In 1811 he was chosen by the university as one of the mathematical examiners, and in 1816 filled the office of proctor. In Michaelmas term 1817 he was appointed select preacher to the university, and in the following year was instituted vicar of Warkworth,

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

. In 1819 Goodenough was appointed headmaster of Westminster School and subalmoner to the king, in succession to William Page. On 23 June 1824 he was made a

prebendary A prebendary is a member of the Catholic Church, Catholic or Anglicanism , Anglican clergy, a form of canon (priest) , canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in part ...

of York, on 22 April 1826 a prebendary of Carlisle, and on 1 June 1827 a prebendary of Westminster. In 1828 he retired from the headmastership, and was succeeded by Richard Williamson. Towards the end of Goodenough's rule the numbers of the school had steadily declined. He was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

in 1824; he was chosen for its council in 1828. On 6 September 1831 he was nominated dean of Wells, in the place of the Hon.

Henry Ryder Henry Dudley Ryder (21 July 1777 – 31 March 1836) was a prominent English evangelical Anglican bishop in the early years of the nineteenth century, most notably as Bishop of Lichfield. He was the first evangelical to be raised to the Ang ...

bishop of Lichfield The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers 4,516 km2 (1,744 sq. mi.) of the counties of Powys, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West M ...

, who succeeded to Goodenough's stall at Westminster. Goodenough was

prolocutor A prolocutor is a chairman of some ecclesiastical assemblies in Anglicanism. Usage in the Church of England In the Church of England, the Prolocutor is chair of the lower house of the Convocations of Canterbury and York, the House of Clergy. The P ...

of the lower house of convocation for a short time. He died suddenly at Wells, while walking in the fields near his house, on 2 May 1845, aged 59, and was buried in the

Lady Chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British English, British term for a chapel dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church (building), church. The chapels are also known as a Mary chape ...

Wells Cathedral Wells Cathedral, formally the , is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Bath and Wells and the mother church of the diocese of Bath and Wells. There are daily Church of England services in ...

, where there is a brass to his memory.

Works

He published the following sermons: * 'A Sermon n 1 Cor. xiv. 33preached at ... Lambeth 2 Nov. 1820 at the Consecration of ... W. Carey, ... Bishop of Exeter,' London, 1821. * 'A Sermon n Deut. xxxiii. 9preached ... 3 May 1830at the Festival of the Sons of the Clergy,' &c., London, 1830. 3. 'A Sermon n Luke xii. 47 and part of 48preached in the Abbey Church, Bath 4 Jan. 1832at the Anniversary Meeting of the Bath Diocesan Association of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel,' &c., London, 1832.

Family

He married, on 31 May 1821, Frances, daughter of

Samuel Pepys Cockerell Samuel Pepys Cockerell (15 February 1753 – 12 July 1827) was an English architect. He was a son of John Cockerell, of Bishop's Hull, Somerset, and the elder brother of Sir Charles Cockerell, 1st Baronet, for whom he designed the house he is ...

of Westbourne House,

Paddington Paddington is an area in the City of Westminster, in central London, England. A medieval parish then a metropolitan borough of the County of London, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965. Paddington station, designed b ...

, by whom he had the sons

James Graham Goodenough Commodore James Graham Goodenough (3 December 1830 – 20 August 1875) was an officer in the Royal Navy who went on to become Commander-in-Chief, Australia Station. Early life and family He was born at Stoke Hill near Guildford in Surrey, ...

and

William Howley Goodenough Lieutenant-General Sir William Howley Goodenough (4 April 1833 – 24 October 1898) was a British Army officer who became General Officer Commanding North-West District. Military career Born the son of Edmund Goodenough, Head Master of Westm ...

besides many other children. His widow died of

cholera Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...

Málaga Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...

on 5 August 1855, and was buried there.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goodenough, Edmund 1786 births 1845 deaths Burials in Somerset Deans of Wells 19th-century English non-fiction writers English religious writers Fellows of the Royal Society 19th-century English Anglican priests

Edmund Edmund is a masculine given name in the English language. The name is derived from the Old English elements ''ēad'', meaning "prosperity" or "riches", and ''mund'', meaning "protector". Persons named Edmund include: People Kings and nobles *Ed ...

Head Masters of Westminster School People from Wells, Somerset Sermon writers 18th-century Anglican theologians 19th-century Anglican theologians