John Goad

John Goad (1616-1689) was head-master of Merchant Taylors' School in London.

Goad was the son of John Goad of Bishopsgate Street, London, and was born in St. Helen's parish there on 15 February 1616. After a preliminary training in Merchant Taylors' School he was admitted to St John's College, Oxford, in 1632, where he became a Fellow (B.A. 1636, M.A. 1640, B.D. 1647). In 1643 he was presented by his college to the vicarage of St Giles' Church, Oxford, and during the siege of Oxford performed divine service under fire of the parliamentary cannon. On 23 June 1646 he was presented by the university to the vicarage of Yarnton, Oxfordshire, which he held, with some trouble, until the Restoration of 1660. Anthony Wood's brother Christopher went daily to school with Goad in 1649, and Wood himself received instruction from him.

In 1660 he accepted the head-mastership of Tonbridge School in Kent, but was appointed head-master of Merchant Taylors' School on 12 July 1661. He was very successful in this position until the agitation at the time of the alleged popish plot. He was charged in March 1681 with certain passages that 'savoured strongly of popery' in a 'Comment on the Church of England Catechism,' written for the use of his scholars. The grand jury of London presented a complaint to the Merchant Taylors' Company respecting the religious doctrines taught in their school. His principal opponent was John Owen, who succeeded in obtaining Goad's place for his nephew, John Hartcliffe. After hearing Goad's defence the company decided on 13 April 1681 that he was 'popishly and erroneously affected.' He was dismissed, but in recognition of his past services they voted him a gratuity. Goad's friends protested against his dismissal as the work of a factious party.

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