Edmund Goodenough

Edmund Goodenough (1786–1845) was an English churchman, dean of Wells from 1831.

Goodenough was the youngest son of Samuel Goodenough, bishop of Carlisle, by his wife, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Dr. James Ford, physician extraordinary to Queen Charlotte, was born at Baling, Middlesex, on 3 April 1785. At an early age he was sent to Westminster School, where in 1797, when only twelve years old, he was elected into college. In 1801 he obtained his election to Christ Church, Oxford, 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. 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.

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 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 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, bishop of Lichfield, who succeeded to Goodenough's stall at Westminster. Goodenough was prolocutor 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 of Wells Cathedral, where there is a brass to his memory.

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