Goodenough College is a

postgraduate Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor' ...

residence and educational trust in Mecklenburgh Square in

Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London, part of the London Borough of Camden in England. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural institution, cultural, intellectual, and educational ...

central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning the City of London and several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local gove ...

, England. Other names under which the college has been known are London House, William Goodenough House, and the London Goodenough Trust.

Profile

Goodenough College is an educational charity that provides residential accommodation for talented British and international postgraduates and their families studying in London. The College attempts to provide community through a programme of intellectual, cultural, and social activities that aims to provide students with an international network and a global outlook. Goodenough has residential and study facilities and provides a programme of activities whose goal is to enhance students' personal, social and intellectual development. In a typical year, the College is home to approximately 700 international postgraduate students and their families, from approximately 80 different nations. The College is located in London and set on Mecklenburgh Square. Director of the College since April 2021 has been Alice Walpole.

History

Foundation

Goodenough College was set up in 1930 by a group of prominent Londoners, including the chairman of

Barclays Bank Barclays PLC (, occasionally ) is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services ...

and founder of Barclays Bank DCO (Dominion, Colonial, and Overseas) Frederick Craufurd Goodenough. Goodenough and his friends wanted to provide collegiate life along

Oxbridge Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford, Universities of Oxford and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, the two oldest, wealthiest, and most prestigious universities in the United Kingdom. The term is used to refer to them collect ...

lines to young men coming to London from the British dominions and colonies, who could be seen as prospective leaders of what was then a large empire. The College aimed to serve as a

moot hall A moot hall is a meeting or assembly building, traditionally to decide local issues. In Anglo-Saxon England, a low ring-shaped Earthworks (engineering), earthwork served as a moot hill or moot mound, where the elders of the Hundred (county subdiv ...

for its residents, and a place where they could form lasting friendships in a spirit of tolerance and understanding. The search for a site for the new college was centred on Bloomsbury, to which the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

was preparing a move from South Kensington. A site for sale as freehold was found between Guilford Street and Mecklenburgh Square, and the College bought it in 1930.

London House

There were plans to design and build a new college, but this would have taken time which the governors did not want to waste. In the traditional manner of Bloomsbury's philanthropic institutions, they made a start in a small way in some of the roomy old houses on the site. London House first opened its doors in October 1931, in Nos. 4–7 Caroline Place (now Mecklenburgh Place) on the west side of the site. The house was soon full, with a long waiting list, and by the start of World War II it occupied all the Caroline Place properties. A new London House for 300 single students was built between 1935 and 1963 to the designs of the architect

Herbert Baker Sir Herbert Baker (9 June 1862 – 4 February 1946) was an English architect remembered as the dominant force in South African architecture for two decades, and a major designer of some of New Delhi's most notable government structures. He was ...

, his partner Alexander Scott, and their successor Vernon Helbing. It was completed in three stages: Stage 1 (1935–37). The southeast corner includes the Great Hall, Charles Parsons Library, common rooms, and the Guilford Street entrance. This was the only part to be completed in Herbert Baker's lifetime. Stage 2 (1948–53). The rest of the south wing, the west wing, and the northwest corner. Alexander Scott continued in Baker's style, with some simplification of detail. Stage 3 (1961–63). The north wing, including the northeast corner. It was built to a lower cost than the other stages, without flint-work. At the same time, architect Vernon Helbing created the college chapel out of former offices.

William Goodenough House

In the 1940s, at the instigation of the Chairman of the College Governors,

William Goodenough Admiral Sir William Edmund Goodenough (2 June 1867 – 30 January 1945) was a senior Royal Navy officer of World War I. He was the son of James Graham Goodenough. Naval career Goodenough joined the Royal Navy in 1882. He was appointed Comman ...

, the Lord Mayor of London launched a Thanksgiving Fund to raise money in the U.K., and to thank people of Commonwealth countries and the United States for gifts, including food parcels, during and after World War II. The money raised was used to build William Goodenough House for women and married students from those countries, replacing houses destroyed or badly damaged in the war on the northeast of the Square. At the same time, the bombed houses in adjacent Heathcote Street were rebuilt as an annex, and the House was completed in 1957. Later wings, Julian Crossley Court (1974) and Ashley Ponsonby Court (1991), brought the capacity of the House up to 120 rooms for single students and 60 flats for married couples and families. The two parallel institutions developed their characters over time – the quiet surroundings of the WGH common rooms appealed to some LH residents, and various "Willie G" girls preferred the noisier atmosphere of the London House bar. Traditions developed, such as the LH rugby team singing lullabies to the inhabitants of WGH after the annual sports dinner, and many LH-WGH romances flourished, and in some cases resulted in marriage and children. The two houses, London House and William Goodenough House eventually became mixed in 1991.

The Goodenough on Mecklenburgh Square

Nos. 22–25 Mecklenburgh Square survived the war and were used as a nurses’ home until 1989 when they were handed back in a dilapidated state. At first, the houses were repaired and used as inexpensive accommodation for short-stay visitors, mostly returning alumni and other academics in London to attend conferences and seminars. By 1997, however, it was apparent that the building required modernisation if they were to meet the standards that would be required in the 21st century. The houses were closed, and plans were made to add No. 21 and renovate and upgrade for £3.5 million. There were delays because the Georgian houses are listed buildings in a conservation area, and the work required the approval of both English Heritage and the London Borough of Camden planning department. Eventually, the plans were passed, and the Goodenough Club opened in April 2001. The hotel is open to academic and professional visitors as well as conference delegates from around the world and was renamed The Goodenough on Mecklenburgh Square in 2018.

List of heads of Goodenough College

Directors of the College, 1945–present

As the name of the College and the Director's equivalent position has changed over time, the title of each appointee is given.

Wardens of London House, 1947–2008

Up until the 1970s, London House was a single-sex men-only building. The position of London House warden was abolished in 2008.

Controllers and wardens of William Goodenough House, 1950-–2007

From the instigation of William Goodenough House in 1950, it was run by a separate warden. Up until the 1970s, William Goodenough House was a single-sex women-only building, while London House was a men-only building. The position of William Goodenough House warden was abolished in 2007.

Chairmen of the board of governors, 1931–present

Notable alumni

1940s * Sir Sydney Kentridge QC, barrister Goodenough College: Notable Alumni of Goodenough College
1950s * The Hon. F. W. de Klerk (LH 58), former

President of South Africa The president of South Africa is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of South Africa. The president directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence F ...

1960s * Dame Norma Restieaux (WGH 65), Associate Professor of Cardiology at the

University of Otago The University of Otago () is a public university, public research university, research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and one of the oldest universities in ...

* Gordon Thiessen (LH 65–67), former Governor of the

Bank of Canada The Bank of Canada (BoC; ) is a Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation and Canada's central bank. Chartered in 1934 under the ''Bank of Canada Act'', it is responsible for formulating Canada's monetary policy,OECD. OECD Economic Surve ...

* The Rt Revd George Cassidy (LH 66), Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham 1970s * The Rt Hon Sir David Lloyd Jones (LH 74–75),

Lord Justice of Appeal A Lord Justice of Appeal or Lady Justice of Appeal is a judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, the Crown Court and other courts and tribunals. A Lord (or Lady) Just ...

in England and Wales and Chairman of the

Law Commission A law commission, law reform commission, or law revision commission is an independent body set up by a government to conduct law reform; that is, to consider the state of laws in a jurisdiction and make recommendations or proposals for legal chang ...

* Dr Helen Clark (WGH 75–76), former

Prime Minister of New Zealand The prime minister of New Zealand () is the head of government of New Zealand. The prime minister, Christopher Luxon, leader of the New Zealand National Party, took office on 27 November 2023. The prime minister (informally abbreviated to P ...

1980s *

Paul Zed Paul Zed (born December 31, 1956) is a Canadians, Canadian lawyer, professor, and politician. Early life and education Paul Zed was born in Toronto on December 31, 1956, the eldest of seven children born to a Lebanese Canadians, Lebanese Canadi ...

(LH 80–81), member of

Canadian parliament The Parliament of Canada () is the federal legislature of Canada. The Crown, along with two chambers: the Senate and the House of Commons, form the bicameral legislature. The 343 members of the lower house, the House of Commons, are styled a ...

* Professor Edward Byrne (WGH 80–82), President and Principal of King's College, London * Dr Jennifer Barnes (WGH 82–83), President of

Murray Edwards College, Cambridge Murray Edwards College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1954 as New Hall and renamed in 2008. The name honours a gift of £30 million by alumna Ros Edwards and her husband Steve, and the firs ...

* The Hon. Dr. Greg Selinger (LH 83–85), former

Premier of Manitoba The premier of Manitoba () is the first minister (i.e., head of government or chief executive) for the Canadian province of Manitoba—as well as the ''de facto'' President of the province's Executive Council. In formal terms, the premier rec ...

Karan Bilimoria, Baron Bilimoria Karan Faridoon Bilimoria, Baron Bilimoria, (born 26 November 1961) is a British Indian businessman, member of the House of Lords, and former Chancellor of the University of Birmingham. Bilimoria founded the global beer brand Cobra Beer, and se ...

(LH 85–87), co-founder and chairman of

Cobra beer Cobra Beer is a beer brand manufactured in the United Kingdom. The group's primary product is a Beer#"Premium"_beers, premium beer with an alcohol strength of 4.5% by volume (originally 4.8%). The beer was founded in 1989 by Karan Bilimoria, Bar ...

* Dr Max Price (WGH 86–87), Vice Chancellor of the

University of Cape Town The University of Cape Town (UCT) (, ) is a public university, public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1829 as the South African College, it was granted full university status in 1918, making it the oldest univer ...

* Professor George Ellis (WGH 87–88), Emeritus Distinguished Professor of

Complex Systems A complex system is a system composed of many components that may interact with one another. Examples of complex systems are Earth's global climate, organisms, the human brain, infrastructure such as power grid, transportation or communication s ...

in the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the

* The Rt Hon Carwyn Jones (LH 88–89),

First Minister of Wales The first minister of Wales () is the leader of the Welsh Government and keeper of the Welsh Seal. The first minister chairs the Welsh Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Welsh Government po ...

1990s * David McGuinty MP (WGH 90–93), member of

* Stuart Shilson (LH 91–93), former Assistant Private Secretary to The Queen in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom *

Stephanie Nolen Stephanie Nolen (born September 3, 1971, in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian journalist and writer. She is currently the Global Health Reporter for The New York Times. From 2013 to 2019, she was the Latin America bureau chief for The Globe and Mai ...

(LH 93–94), journalist *

Nicole Krauss Nicole Krauss (born August 18, 1974) is an American author best known for her four novels '' Man Walks into a Room'' (2002), '' The History of Love'' (2005), '' Great House'' (2010) and '' Forest Dark'' (2017), which have been translated into ...

(LH 97–98), author *

Sergei Stanishev Sergey Dmitrievich Stanishev ( ; born 5 May 1966) is a Bulgarian politician who served Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 2005 to 2009. A member of the Socialist Party, which he led from 2001 to 2014, he later served as Member of the European Parl ...

(LH 99–00), former

Prime Minister of Bulgaria The Prime Minister of Bulgaria () is the head of government of Bulgaria. They are oftentimes the leader of a political coalition in the Bulgarian parliament, known as the National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unica ...

2000s * Ashvin Kumar (LH 01–03), filmmaker * Llŷr Williams (WGH 02–06), pianist * Scott MacIntyre (LH 05–06), former

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...

contestant * Lewis Pugh (WGH 05–06), environmental campaigner * Eoghan Murphy (LH 0 04-05), former member of Irish parliament and Irish Government Minister. 2010s *

Kola Tubosun Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún (; born 22 September 1981) is a Nigerian linguist, writer, translator, scholar, cultural activist and film-maker.

(WGH 19-20), Nigerian writer and linguist.

References

External links

Goodenough College website
{{Coord, 51, 31, 28, N, 0, 7, 5, W, type:edu_region:GB, display=title Universities and colleges established in 1930 Educational charities based in the United Kingdom Higher education colleges in London Education in the London Borough of Camden Buildings and structures in Bloomsbury Herbert Baker buildings and structures Goodenough family Grade II listed buildings in the London Borough of Camden 1930 establishments in England