Michael Goodman - 1930 - 2010
Michael (Mike) Goodman was born on Christmas Eve 1930 in Stoke Newington. His father was a maths master, and moved the family late 1939 to Swansea, but did not like it there. Luckily he was offered a job in Exmouth, which he took. Mike was enrolled at the local grammar school where his father was teaching, a year earlier than he should have done. His interest in Forces postal items started when he acquired a tobacco fund post card off the school notice board! He left school in 1948 and joined the RAF where he was trained as a radar operator, reaching the rank of AC1. On leaving the RAF he worked as a rep for Williams of Hounslow, then Expanded Rubber. This allowed him to travel around the country in his company car and visit the local stamp dealers. During the late 1950’s he applied to join one of the large stamp companies, but the money was less than he was already earning and there was no car. By this time he was dealing in his spare time. After he met his future wife in 1962 he agreed with her that he would start dealing full time, but he only had five years to make a success of it. But knowing Mike it was no surprise that he only took two years to make his mark.
Many members would have known of Mike Goodman as a postal history dealer at Stampex and stamp fairs, but perhaps many were not aware that he was also a collector, with fine collections covering many aspects of British postmarks, including those of the British Army in the First World War. Alistair first met Mike in the late 1950s when they both joined the newly formed British Postmark Society. Mike joined the Forces Postal History Society in 1964 (Alistair was already a member by then).
The reduction of Mike’s stall holding at stamp fairs in recent years meant that he became a regular at the FPHS meetings (often having been on buying visits to fairs in the morning!). He had a tremendous knowledge of most aspects of British postmarks, and much else besides, and took great pleasure in seeing displays and learning of the historical background provided by speakers. He was also a frequent contributor to members’ display afternoons. When the Royal Philatelic Society London opened its membership to dealers a few years ago Mike was among the first to join and greatly appreciated the opportunity to see and learn from the wonderful displays arranged by that Society. He was also very supportive of the London Postal History Group as well as the British Postmark Society.
Mike was always ready to help many writers on British postmarks by allowing access to his collections and so acknowledgements to him appear in many books.
Mike was a good man in nature as well as name, and will be missed. He passed away at Northwick Park Hospital on Saturday 12th June 2010.
Peter Burrows and Alistair Kennedy