Samuel Goodenough

The Reverend Dr Samuel Goodenough is buried in the north cloister of Westminster Abbey. He lies near the grave of his good friend Dr William Markham, sometime Head Master of Westminster School where Samuel was educated. He was born on 29th April 1743 at Kimpton in Hampshire son of the Reverend William Goodenough, rector of that parish, and prebendary of Brecon cathedral. His brothers were William, Richard and Edmund. He went on to Oxford university and returned to Westminster School as an under-master. Later he established his own private school for sons of gentleman in London. In 1798 he was appointed a canon of Windsor. He was a member of the Linnean Society from its foundation and published articles on botany and natural history. In 1802 he became Dean of Rochester and in 1808 bishop of Carlisle. He died while staying at Worthing for his health on 12th August 1827. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of physician Dr James Ford, whom he married in 1770.

Three daughters and two sons died young. Three sons became clergymen: Samuel who was prebendary of Carlisle, Robert Philip who served at York, Southwell and Carlisle cathedrals, and Edmund (1785-1845) who was Head Master of Westminster School 1819-1828, prebendary of York, Carlisle and Westminster and lastly Dean of Wells cathedral (where he is buried). Edmund's wife was Frances Cockerell, who died in Spain in 1855. Two of their children were buried in the Abbey, Frances aged 6 in 1828 and Edmund Vernon aged 9 in 1838. Other children baptised in the Abbey were Sophia 1823, Annabella 1825, Lucy 1826, Frederick 1827 and James Graham 1831. Another child was Leonard.

The inscription for Dr Samuel is at the base of the grave of Mary and Robert Jennings, to whom he seems to have been no relation. His part of the inscription read:

Dr Samuel Goodenough D.C.L. Bishop of Carlisle Born 1743. Died 1827.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography