Goulding was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School^[1] and St Catharine's College, Cambridge.^[1]

Important decisions which Goulding J handed down included:

• Patel v Ali [1985] Ch 283 - on specific performance for breach of contract
• Sky Petroleum Ltd v VIP Petroleum Ltd [1974] 1 WLR 576 – also on specific performance
• Mutual Life Insurance Co of New York v Rank Organisation Ltd [1985] BCLC 11 – on unfair prejudice
• Chase Manhattan Bank NA v Israel-British Bank (London) Ltd [1981] Ch 105 – arguable his most famous decision, on tracing through international bank settlement systems – the decision has been subject to "sustained, authoritative criticism."^[4]
• Oppenheimer v Cattermole [1976] AC 249 - Goulding J had to decide whether a Nazi-era law expropriating Jewish property should be recognised; his refusal to recognise it was upheld by the House of Lords
• Hodgson v National and Local Government Officers Association [1972] 1 WLR 130 – concerning the governance of trade unions.
• Berry v Warnett (Inspector of Taxes) [1978] 1 WLR 957 - concerning tax avoidance.
• Schemmer v Property Resources Ltd [1975] Ch 273 - on recognition of a foreign receivership order.

He was father to Sir Marrack Goulding, a diplomat.^[5][6]