| AdminHistory | The Reverend Dr Samuel Goodenough (1743-1827) was a botanist, physician and Bishop of Carlisle. He founded the Linnean Society of London with James Edward Smith and Thomas Marsham in 1788. The plant genus' 'Goodenia' and 'Petroica goodenovii' are named in his honour. He is best known for his published works on the species of Carex and Fucus.
Goodenough was born on 29th April 1743 in Kimpton, Hampshire. He was the third son to the Reverend William Goodenough, rector of Broughton Poggs, Oxfordshire. He attended a school in Witney, Oxfordshire before being sent to the Westminster School under the Headmaster William Markham. In 1760 he became a student at Christ Church College, Oxford before returning to Westminster School in 1766 as under-master for four years. He then left this position after inheriting from his father his post as the rector of Broughton Poggs. On 17th April 1770, he married Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of physician Dr James Ford. He had four daughters, as well as three sons who all went on to become clergymen. Some of their children died young.
He then went onto establish a private school in Ealing for the sons of gentlemen in London. He was also a founding member of the Linnean Society with J. E. Smith in 1788 and became the society's first Treasurer. He became the Dean of Rochester in 1802 and Bishop of Carlisle in 1808. In 1820 he became Vice President of the Royal Society.
Goodenough died in Worthing after suffering bad health on 12th August 1827. He is buried in the north cloister of Westminster Abbey near the grave of his good friend and former Headmaster of Westminster School Dr William Markham. |
Thomas Jenkinson Woodward (1745-1820) was an English botanist. He was born in Huntingdon on 6 March 1745 into a well-established family. Educated at Eton College between 1758-1762, and Clare College, Cambridge, he graduated with a LLB (Bachelor of Laws) in 1769. He married Frances, née Manning (d. 1833), shortly afterwards. They had no children.
He was appointed magistrate and deputy lieutenant for the county of Suffolk. On relocation to Walcot House in Diss, Norfolk, he took on the same offices for that county. On the establishment of the volunteer system, he became lieutenant-colonel of the Diss Volunteers. He was elected a fellow of the Linnean Society of London in 1789.
Described by Sir James Edward Smith as one of the best English botanists; Smith named fern genus 'Woodwardia' in his honour. Woodward contributed seven papers to the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society and the Transactions of the Linnean Society between 1784 and 1795, on fungi and algae. Additionally, he provided information for Smith and Sowerby's "English Botany," the second edition of Withering's "Systematic Arrangement of British Plants," and Thomas Martyn's edition of Philip Miller's "Gardeners' Dictionary".
He died on the 28 January 1820 in Diss, where he was also buried. |
| Description | Incomplete draft manuscript of the paper entitled 'Observations on the British Fuci, with particular Descriptions of each Species' by the Rev. Samuel Goodenough and Thomas Jenkinson Woodward. This paper was read at a meeting of the Linnean Society on April 3 1795, and later published in the Transactions of the Linnean Society, volume 3. Included is a letter to [Thomas Jenkinson Woodward] from [Lilly] Wigg about a drawing of an 'Ulva' which he has sent him and referring him to a Mr Pitchford for further information about the specimen. This letter has been used as note paper for the section on 'F. Upers' (ff. 38-39) (published as 'Fucus Opuntia', no. 65).
Also comprises a set of notes from Woodward to Goodenough about the preliminary draft pages Goodenough has written and 9 letters from Samuel Goodenough to Thomas Jenkinson Woodward. Includes remarks by Goodenough on notes that Woodward has sent him and suggestions about which parts he should write. Also includes discussions over the determination, description and order of different species varieties. Names mentioned within the letters include [James Edward] Smith, the Duchess of Portland [Margaret Cavendish Bentinck], Thomas Agnew [known to have been gardener at Bulstrode, Kew Gardens and Frogmore during his lifetime] and Sir [John] Rous [1st Earl of Stradbroke]. |