(Redirected from Arnold Goodman)
'Arnold Goodman, Baron Goodman',
CH,
QC (1913–1995), was a
British lawyer and political advisor.
Lord Goodman was educated at
University College London and
Downing College, Cambridge. He became a leading
London lawyer as Senior Partner in the law firm
Goodman, Derrick & Co. He was
solicitor and advisor to
politicians such as
Harold Wilson.
Goodman was chairman of the
Arts Council of Great Britain from
1965 until
1972, succeeded by
Lord Gibson. As chair of the Arts Council, Goodman managed the organisation's 'golden age' with the establishing of the
South Bank Centre and adoption of the only
UK government bill for
the Arts while the Council began regular funding for a number of galleries and theatre companies in the English regions. He was also
Chairman of
British Lion Films, the
Committee of Inquiry into Charity Law, the
Committee on London Orchestras, the
Housing Corporation, the
National Building Agency the
Newspaper Proprietors' Association, and
The Observer Trust, as well as being
Director of the
Royal Opera House and
Sadler's Wells,
Governor of the
Royal Shakespeare Theatre and
President of the
Theatrical Advisory Committee. He was a Senior Fellow of the
Royal College of Art and an
Honorary Fellow of the
Royal College of Art. He was also a founder and patron of the
Next Century Foundation. He was created a
Life peer as 'Baron Goodman', of the City of
Westminster in
1965 and
Companion of Honour in
1972.
Later in his career, Lord Goodman was
Master of
University College, Oxford, succeeding
Lord Redcliffe-Maud in
1976. He retired from the post in
1986 and died on
12 May 1995.
Harold Wilson (by then Lord Wilson of Rievaulx), Honorary Fellow of
University College since
1963, died only twelve days later on
24 May.
Criticisms
★ After his death one of his wealthy clients,
Lord Portman, alleged that Goodman stole funds worth £10 million from his family's trust over a 30-year period. However, Lord Portman did not verify his claim.
★ Goodman was often portrayed by
Private Eye as a sinister 'power behind the throne' exerting huge influence on the British establishment.
External links
★
Lord Goodman — Chevening Scholarships from the
British Council
★
Portrait by
Lucien Freud