[1] Born in Brentford, England in 1845, Gooden emigrated with his parents to Adelaide in 1848, where his father became one of the first basket makers in the colony.

Australian Test cricketer George Giffen would later claim that Gooden's coaching and encouragement was an important factor in his success.

[11] Gooden had less success as a bowler, being called for throwing while playing for a SACA XI against Northern Yorke Peninsula in 1877/78.

[4] Outside of cricket, Gooden had a varied career, working at various times as a real estate agent, for the South Australian Gas Company, and, with his brother Charles, licensee of the Napoleon Hotel on King William Street, Adelaide.

[2] Gooden's obituary in Cricket magazine stated that "he fell upon evil days during the latter part of his life",[3] suffering a nervous breakdown and heart trouble[2] and was reduced to living in "a dreadfully run-down boarding house.