Charles Goodson-Wickes
Encyclopedia
Dr Charles Goodson-Wickes (born 7 November 1945) is the Director General of Canning House
, the London-based foundation dedicated to the promotion of Latin American and Iberian political and cultural issues in the United Kingdom.
Dr Goodson was British
Conservative
Member of Parliament
for Wimbledon
from 1987 to 1997.
He served in the British Army Life Guards
, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
and served in the first Gulf War
.
, St Bartholomew's Hospital
and Inner Temple
. He is a qualified barrister
(called to the Bar 1972) and physician
(1970).
, having previously unsuccessfully contested Islington Central
in 1979. While an MP he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
in the Departments of Treasury, Environment and Transport. In 1997 he lost his seat to Roger Casale. He is also Deputy Lieutenant
of Greater London.
, serving in Northern Ireland
, Cyprus
and Germany
(1973–1977), appointed in 1977 to the position of Silver Stick's Medical Officer for the Household Cavalry
. He remained a member of Regular Army Reserve of Officers (RARO) until 2000. He re-enlisted in 1991 as a Lieutenant Colonel
to serve in the First Gulf War with the HQ 7th Armoured Brigade, seeing action in the liberation of Kuwait
through Saudi Arabia
and Iraq
. He was the first sitting member of the House of Commons to see active service in the Armed Forces since World War II
.
. He has been Chairman of the Rural Trust since 1999. From 1998 to 2007 Goodson-Wickes was Chief Executive of London Playing Fields Foundation (Chairman 1997-1998) and a member of the London Sports Board (2000–2003). He served as Chairman of BFFS (British Field Sports Society) from 1994–1997 and was a member of the Public Affairs Committee (1980–1987) and is Vice President of the Great Bustard Group (2008-) which is re-introducing the Great Bustard
to Great Britain
. He is Vice President (1990 -) of the Ex-Servicemen's Mental Welfare Society, better known as Combat Stress
. He was Governor of Highbury Grove School
in Islington
(1977–1985).
He was appointed Director General of Canning House
in 2010.
Canning House
Canning House is a foundation dedicated to promote understanding and engagement between Britain and the Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian world, through presentations, events, art and educational activities....
, the London-based foundation dedicated to the promotion of Latin American and Iberian political and cultural issues in the United Kingdom.
Dr Goodson was British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Wimbledon
Wimbledon (UK Parliament constituency)
Wimbledon is one of two parliamentary constituencies in the London Borough of Merton in south-west London. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, by the first-past-the-post voting system....
from 1987 to 1997.
He served in the British Army Life Guards
Life Guards
Life Guards may refer to several military regiments:*Life Guards *Life Guards *Russian Imperial Guard*Garde du Corps , during the Ancien Régime...
, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and served in the first Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
.
Education
Goodson-Wickes was educated at CharterhouseCharterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
and Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. He is a qualified barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
(called to the Bar 1972) and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
(1970).
Political career
A lifelong member of the Conservative Party, Goodson-Wickes was elected to the House of Commons in 1987 representing WimbledonWimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
, having previously unsuccessfully contested Islington Central
Islington Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Islington Central was a parliamentary constituency in the Islington district of Inner London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in 1979. While an MP he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
in the Departments of Treasury, Environment and Transport. In 1997 he lost his seat to Roger Casale. He is also Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Greater London.
Military career
Goodson-Wickes was a British Army Officer and served as Surgeon Captain (Medical Officer) in the Life GuardsLife Guards
Life Guards may refer to several military regiments:*Life Guards *Life Guards *Russian Imperial Guard*Garde du Corps , during the Ancien Régime...
, serving in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(1973–1977), appointed in 1977 to the position of Silver Stick's Medical Officer for the Household Cavalry
Household Cavalry
The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...
. He remained a member of Regular Army Reserve of Officers (RARO) until 2000. He re-enlisted in 1991 as a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
to serve in the First Gulf War with the HQ 7th Armoured Brigade, seeing action in the liberation of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
through Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He was the first sitting member of the House of Commons to see active service in the Armed Forces since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Business career
Goodson-Wickes has served as Director of Nestor Healthcare Group Plc (1993–1999), Chief Executive of Medarc Ltd, currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors Thomas Greg and Sons Ltd among others.Charity and public service
Goodson-Wickes was Founder Chairman (1997–1999) and now Patron of the Countryside AllianceCountryside Alliance
The Countryside Alliance is a British organisation promoting issues relating to the countryside such as country sports, including hunting, shooting and angling...
. He has been Chairman of the Rural Trust since 1999. From 1998 to 2007 Goodson-Wickes was Chief Executive of London Playing Fields Foundation (Chairman 1997-1998) and a member of the London Sports Board (2000–2003). He served as Chairman of BFFS (British Field Sports Society) from 1994–1997 and was a member of the Public Affairs Committee (1980–1987) and is Vice President of the Great Bustard Group (2008-) which is re-introducing the Great Bustard
Great Bustard
The Great Bustard is in the bustard family, the only member of the genus Otis. It breeds in southern and central Europe, where it is the largest species of bird, and across temperate Asia...
to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. He is Vice President (1990 -) of the Ex-Servicemen's Mental Welfare Society, better known as Combat Stress
Combat Stress
Combat Stress is a UK charity offering residential treatment to ex-servicemen and women suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental health issues....
. He was Governor of Highbury Grove School
Highbury Grove School
Highbury Grove School is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school in the London Borough of Islington. It covers the age range 11 to 18 inclusive and currently has about 1,100 pupils. It is classified as a Community School, specialising in business, enterprise studies and music . The head...
in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
(1977–1985).
He was appointed Director General of Canning House
Canning House
Canning House is a foundation dedicated to promote understanding and engagement between Britain and the Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian world, through presentations, events, art and educational activities....
in 2010.