Papers of Sir Jack Goody

Notes, field notebooks, correspondence and offprints relating to Goody's researches on social anthropology, on the Bagre, Gonja, the Lodagaa, Ghana, and Gujarat.

John Rankine Goody was born in 1919 in Hammersmith, London, the son of an electrical engineer. Following schooling at Handside and St Albans School, Goody entered St John's in 1938 to study English. His undergraduate career was interrupted by the Second World War, in which he served as a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Sherwood Foresters. He was captured at Tobruk in June 1942 and was subsequently a prisoner of war in Italy and Germany. Upon his return to Cambridge, Goody completed his degree, graduating in 1946. Following a spell of work with the Hertfordshire Education Authority, Goody undertook research, receiving his PhD in 1954. He subsequently served Cambridge University as Lecturer in Archaeology and Anthropology (1959-71), Director of the African Studies Centre (1966-73), Smuts Reader in Commonwealth Studies (1971-8), and William Wyse Professor of Social Anthropology (1973-84). He became a Fellow of St John's College in 1961. Goody has written numerous books and articles, and has received many awards and honours, including a knighthood in 2005.

Open for consultation

Much of the collection was presented to the Library by Professor Goody, March 2008. Further material was deposited by the Goody family following Professor Goody's death in 2015.

John Rankine Goody was born in 1919 in Hammersmith, London, the son of an electrical engineer. Following schooling at Handside and St Albans School, Goody entered St John's in 1938 to study English. His undergraduate career was interrupted by the Second World War, in which he served as a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Sherwood Foresters. He was captured at Tobruk in June 1942 and was subsequently a prisoner of war in Italy and Germany. Upon his return to Cambridge, Goody completed his degree, graduating in 1946. Following a spell of work with the Hertfordshire Education Authority, Goody undertook research, receiving his PhD in 1954. He subsequently served Cambridge University as Lecturer in Archaeology and Anthropology (1959-71), Director of the African Studies Centre (1966-73), Smuts Reader in Commonwealth Studies (1971-8), and William Wyse Professor of Social Anthropology (1973-84). He became a Fellow of St John's College in 1961. Goody has written numerous books and articles, and has received many awards and honours, including a knighthood in 2005.

Preferred citation: St John's College Library, Papers of Sir Jack Goody

28 May 2009

Published