b. 14th June 1921, croydon, greater london, united kingdom
d. 16th March 2013, united kingdom
Leslie Gooday passed away a few years ago.
He died on the 16th March 2013 at the age of 91, following a long illness.
His career, as an architect, took him from a post war period, designing domestic residences, through to designing the British pavilion at the Japanese Expo in Osaka in 1970.
progress of mankind - british pavilion, osaka
It was that project that led to Leslie being awarded the OBE by the Queen the same year.
British Designers (l-r) Charles Munro, Leslie Gooday, Hassan Khan, Sir Hugh Casson, Michael Caine, Kenneth Grange, Martin Stinger and Kenneth Goodall.
He was a great admirer of the ‘organic architectural designs’ of Frank Lloyd Wright, who, incidentally died at the same age as Leslie, earlier in 1959.
Frank certainly influenced the design of Leslie’s own home at Long Wall, Golf Club Road in Weybridge.
Leslie’s early career became interrupted by the second world War. Leslie enlisted into the RAF and completed his national service.
in 1951
Some of his post wars endeavours were contributions to the 1951 Festival of Britain, South Bank Exhibition.
Leslie set up Leslie Gooday and Associates in the late Sixties, the offices being located, (throughout the Seventies) on the Upper Richmond Road in Putney, SW15.
Leslie Gooday and Associates were later to be listed by many of the Universities, around the country, as one of the top six companies architectural graduates should initially apply to.
Early ‘Associates’ included Ken Goodall and Hassan Khan, later being joined by Sam Marshall MSIA and Hua Chan.
Early projects included the Richmond Swimming Baths, originally designed and built between 1964-6 by Leslie along with Stanley Weddle. This building has now become listed. He later went on to design and build the swimming baths in Teddington.
sheen property
Aside from the major commissions, Leslie also worked on several domestic architectural schemes, including one for a family member.
The Upper Richmond Road staff were split into two disciplines. Architectural and Exhibition Design.
working drawings from the studio - circa 1978
bathroom design for ideal standard @ the ideal home exhbition
Their clients included, Dunlop, Vauxhall Motors, Bedford Motors, Ideal Standard and the UKAEA.
The Architectural team, during this period, included Gwyn Williams, Hua Chan, Peter Ackhurst, Alan Upton and Mike Herrington.
The Exhibition team included Sam Marshall, Dennis South, Michael Dumetz, John Chalker, Toby Walker and, earlier, Chris Weedon and Chris Fletcher.
Company secretary was Helen King.
Leslie relocated his company to Hampton Court in 1983.
'PEONY I' AND 'PEONY II' - sold 2011
He suffered a stroke during the 1990’s, but still kept working on his passion for painting.
Tragically, during the mid nineties, Leslie lost his son Peter to cancer.
Leslie’s funeral took place at the Randalls Park Crematorium in Leatherhead on the 3rd of April 2013.
Leslie is survived by his wife Rosemary, his grandson Max and family.
