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Goodenough College

Goodenough College is a postgraduate residence and educational trust in Mecklenburgh Square in Bloomsbury, central London, England. Other names under which the college has been known are London House, William Goodenough House, and the London Goodenough Trust.

Entrance, and coat of arms

Profile

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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.[1]

History

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Foundation

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Goodenough College was set up in 1930 by a group of prominent Londoners, including the chairman of Barclays Bank and founder of Barclays Bank DCO (Dominion, Colonial, and Overseas) Frederick Craufurd Goodenough. Goodenough and his friends wanted to provide collegiate life along Oxbridge 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 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 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

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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, 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

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In the 1940s, at the instigation of the Chairman of the College Governors, William Goodenough, 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.[citation needed] 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

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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.[2]

List of heads of Goodenough College

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Directors of the College, 1945–present

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

Directors of the College
Name Job title and tenure Career background
Brigadier Ernest Cecil Pepper CMG, CBE, DSO, DL (1899–1981) [3] Controller of London House, 1945–1949;
Warden, London House, 1950–1969 		former Commandant of the School of Infantry
Sir Francis "Frank" A. Loyd KCMG, OBE, MA (Oxon) (1916–2006) [3] Director, London House for Overseas Graduates, 1969–1979 former Queen's Commissioner (i.e. Governor) of Swaziland
Sir A. John Wilton KCMG, KCVO, MC, MA (Oxon) (1921–2011) [3] Director, London House for Overseas Graduates, 1979–1986 former Ambassador to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
David A. Emms OBE, MA (Oxon) (b. 1925) [3] Director, The London Goodenough Trust, 1987–1995 former Headmaster of Cranleigh School, Sherborne School and Dulwich College
Major-General Timothy P. Toyne Sewell DL (b. 1941) [3] Director, The London Goodenough Trust, 1995–2001;
Director of Goodenough College, 2001–2006 		former Commandant of Sandhurst
Major-General Andrew S. Ritchie CBE, BA (Dunelm) (b. 1955) [3] Director of Goodenough College, 2006–2018 former Commandant of Sandhurst
Rebecca L. Matthews (Knight of the Order of Dannebrog), MA (Cantab), MA (Lond) (b. 1968) Director of Goodenough College, 2018-2021 Former Managing Director of the European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017
The Hon Alice Walpole OBE (b. 1963) Director of Goodenough College, 2021- Former United Nations Assistant Secretary-General

Wardens of London House, 1947–2008

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

Wardens of London House

Name Job title and tenure
Philip Crofton [3]
Reggie Gaskell [3]
Peter Pepper [3]
Lieutenant Colonel George L. Sprunt [3] Controller of London House, 1947–1965
Lieutenant Colonel Eric C.T. Wilson VC[3] Controller of London House, 1966–1977
Colonel W.C.J. Naylor DSC [3] Warden of London House, 1977–1983
John D. Pepper [3] Warden of London House, 1983–1993
Commander Christopher J.S. Craig [3] Warden of London House, 1993–1995
Rosemary Wilson OBE[3] Warden of London House, 1995–1997
Andrew H. Mellows [3] Warden of London House, 1997–1999
Chris Wright [3] Warden of London House, 1999–2008

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

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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.

Wardens of William Goodenough House

Name Job title and tenure Career background
Dame Jocelyn May Woollcombe DBE (1898–1986) [3] Controller of William Goodenough House, 1950–1956 former Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service
Air Commodore Dame Felicity Peake DBE (1913–2002) [3] Controller of William Goodenough House, 1956–1961 former founding Director of the Women's Royal Air Force
Joanna Sybil Macdonald Dannatt MBE, MA (Cantab) (1913–2010) [3] Controller and Warden of William Goodenough House, 1961–1982 former ATS cipher clerk and translator
Jill C. Morrogh [3] Warden of William Goodenough House, 1982–1989
Sandra E. Lello MA (Oxon)[3] Warden of William Goodenough House, 1989–1992 former Fellow of Hughes Hall, Cambridge
Mary M. Lomas [3] Warden of William Goodenough House, 1992–1994
Noelle Vickers [3] Warden of William Goodenough House, 1995–2001
Annie Thomas [3] Warden of William Goodenough House, 2001–2007

Chairmen of the board of governors, 1931–present

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Chairmen of the board of governors

Name Tenure Career background
Frederick Crauford Goodenough DCL, BA (Zurich) (1866–1934) [3] 1931–1934 Chairman of Barclays Bank
Sir William Macnamara Goodenough LLD, DL, JP, MA (Oxon) (1899–1951) [3] 1934–1951 Director of Barclays Bank
Sir David M. Evans-Bevan Bt (1902–1973) [3] 1951–1965 Director of Barclays Bank
Sir Julian S. Crossley Kt, MA (Oxon) (1899–1971) [3] 1965–1971 Chairman of Barclays Bank
Lieutenant-Colonel Frederic Seebohm, Baron Seebohm Kt, TD, MA (Cantab) (1909–1990) [3] 1971–1983 Chairman of Barclays Bank
Sir Ashley Charles Gibbs Ponsonby Bt, KCVO, LL, MC, MA (Oxon) (1921–2010) [3] 1982–1989 Managing Director of J. Henry Schroder Wagg
Colonel Graham Stephen Paul Carden CBE, TD, DL (1935–1992) [3] 1990–1991 Chairman of Greenfriar Investment Co.
Rosina "Wendy" Philippa Price French, Lady French, MA (Cantab) (1927–2000) [3] 1992–1997 Barrister and former Editor of the All England Law Reports
Sir Christopher Wates, MA (Oxon) (1939–2024)[3][4] 1997–2006 Chairman and CEO of Wates Group
Dr Tidu Maini, BSc (Lond), PhD (Lond)[3] 2006–2009 Pro-Rector for Development and Corporate Affairs, Imperial College London
Jonathan Hirst QC, MA (Cantab) (b. 1954) [3] 2009–2016 Head of Brick Court Chambers
Eric Tracey 2016-2020 Chartered Accountant and Life Member of the Council of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ)
Stuart Shilson LVO DL 2020- Director with management consultants McKinsey in London

Notable alumni

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1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Goodenough College appoints new Director". Goodenough College. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  2. ^ The Goodenough on Mecklenburgh Square: Home
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj Goodenough College: Heads of Goodenough College Archived 20 June 2013 at archive.today
  4. ^ "Wates Group announces the death of our former Chief Executive".
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Goodenough College: Notable Alumni of Goodenough College Archived 20 June 2013 at archive.today
  6. ^ "London in September: A Homage to Memory - Kola Tubosun". The Lagos Review. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
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