David
Gooding
1923 - 2008
Maths and Science teacher
House Master of Sheffield
Kingham Hill
School
circa 1948 - 1957
David was born in 1923 at
Old Cleeve, Somerset. He
was an only son and his father ran an engineering business
hence David's mechanical expertise and enjoyment of owning
vintage cars. The one I remember was a 1920's CLINO.
During
the war he was commissioned in the RAF, trained in the
USA as a pilot and posted to fly Catalinas (which he loved.) One
of his tasks was to fly out over the Atlantic looking for
Uboats. He told me he found one but failed to sink
it.
He married Audrey and had
two sons, Nick and Roger. He
arrived at KHS around 1948 to teach Maths and Science.
The family lived in Daylesford Cottage.
David's contribution
to KH was immense and it was an obvious progression to
become Housemaster of Sheffield. He was a relaxed teacher
and housemaster and completely dedicated to the ethos of
Kingham Hill, easily approached, with plenty of humour.
Between 1957 and 1964 he was
Head of Pilgrim's School, Seaford for asthmatic boys.
On
leaving Pilgrim's he was commissioned in the Army Education
Corps, then, until his retirement in the mid 80s, he worked
in Special Education.
His happy retirement with
his second wife Anne was spent in Littleham.
Written by Stewart Brindley
July 2008
David Gooding
