Charles Old Goodford
Encyclopedia
Charles Old Goodford was an English headmaster, provost
of Eton College
.
Goodford was the second son of John Goodford of Chilton-Cantelo, Somersetshire, who died in 1835, by Charlotte, fourth daughter of Montague Cholmeley of Easton, Lincolnshire
. He entered Eton in 1826, and proceeded to King's College, Cambridge
, in 1830, whence he took his B.A. 1836, M.A. 1839, and D.D. 1853.
He was elected a fellow of his college, but did not long retain his fellowship, as on 28 March 1844 he married Katharine Lucia, third daughter of George Law of Lincoln's Inn
. While still an undergraduate he returned to Eton and became an assistant-master in 1835. It was not long before he succeeded his former tutor, John Wilder, in charge of a large and important schoolhouse, in which a number of the resident boys were from his own and the adjacent counties. As a house-master he was liberal and kind, but his management was not equal to his good intentions. In 1853 he succeeded Edward Craven Hawtrey, D.D., as head-master at Eton. His rule on the whole was beneficial to the college. He aimed at a very complete reconstruction of the system of teaching; he made discipline a reality, while he abolished many vexatious rules which had needlessly restricted liberty, and would have done more but for the veto of the provost. In 1854 he edited P. Terentii Afri Comœdiæ, a work which he printed chiefly to present as a leaving book to his sixth-form boys. On the death of Dr. Hawtrey, Lord Palmerston, in ignorance of the needs of Eton, and much against Goodford's own wishes, appointed him provost of Eton, a position which he held from 27 January 1862 to his death. Under the Cambridge University commission of 1860, and more particularly under the royal commission of 1865, great changes and improvements were made in the college. Goodford held the small family living of Chilton-Cantelo from 1848 to his death.
He died at The Lodge, Eton, 9 May 1884, and was buried in the Eton cemetery 14 May.
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
.
Goodford was the second son of John Goodford of Chilton-Cantelo, Somersetshire, who died in 1835, by Charlotte, fourth daughter of Montague Cholmeley of Easton, Lincolnshire
Easton, Lincolnshire
Easton is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies just off the A1, north of Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth and Colsterworth.-Geography:...
. He entered Eton in 1826, and proceeded to King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, in 1830, whence he took his B.A. 1836, M.A. 1839, and D.D. 1853.
He was elected a fellow of his college, but did not long retain his fellowship, as on 28 March 1844 he married Katharine Lucia, third daughter of George Law of Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
. While still an undergraduate he returned to Eton and became an assistant-master in 1835. It was not long before he succeeded his former tutor, John Wilder, in charge of a large and important schoolhouse, in which a number of the resident boys were from his own and the adjacent counties. As a house-master he was liberal and kind, but his management was not equal to his good intentions. In 1853 he succeeded Edward Craven Hawtrey, D.D., as head-master at Eton. His rule on the whole was beneficial to the college. He aimed at a very complete reconstruction of the system of teaching; he made discipline a reality, while he abolished many vexatious rules which had needlessly restricted liberty, and would have done more but for the veto of the provost. In 1854 he edited P. Terentii Afri Comœdiæ, a work which he printed chiefly to present as a leaving book to his sixth-form boys. On the death of Dr. Hawtrey, Lord Palmerston, in ignorance of the needs of Eton, and much against Goodford's own wishes, appointed him provost of Eton, a position which he held from 27 January 1862 to his death. Under the Cambridge University commission of 1860, and more particularly under the royal commission of 1865, great changes and improvements were made in the college. Goodford held the small family living of Chilton-Cantelo from 1848 to his death.
He died at The Lodge, Eton, 9 May 1884, and was buried in the Eton cemetery 14 May.