Dr Reg Goodwin celebrates being one hundred years old. 

Reg Goodwin was born on 1 December 1922 in Lambeth, London. During the Great Depression, times were hard. In order to earn money, for four years he delivered newspapers before school, from 4am to 8am, until he obtained a scholarship. 

The Government financed his degree training as an engineer, on condition that he served in one of the Armed Forces. He chose the Royal Navy but requested that the Admiralty abandon the training so that he could be commissioned early. Reg specialised in an early modification of the radio navigation system for ships and - aged 20 in 1943 - was put in charge of all sea-borne radar at Dover. He undertook a number of critical missions as an extra navigator in small boats prior to the D day landings. 

Reg met his future wife, Joan, in Greenock when she was serving as a ‘Wren.’ Reflecting on the future, he decided to study veterinary medicine. He studied for his first examinations whilst at Dover and as soon as the war concluded, joined the Royal Veterinary College in London where he won many prizes, including the final year prize. 

He came up to Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 1950, with an Agricultural Research Council Scholarship. His PhD was on carbohydrate metabolism in new-born mammals. The family lived at Vicar’s Farm, Madingley Road, whilst nearby the Veterinary School was under construction. 

Reg became a lecturer in Veterinary Medicine which he taught until the age of 72. He was also a prolific researcher, particularly on pig diseases, and published over a hundred papers. His expertise was much in demand at home and abroad and he also became the Veterinary Correspondent for The Times. 

In 1965, the family moved to The Grange, in Madingley where they were keen entertainers. Many College students came to the Grange for dinner, big evening parties and sometimes dances. One of the first students, Vikramabahu Karunaratne from Sri Lanka, was a regular visitor and has stayed in close touch as have many others including the Tanaka family from Japan. Joan, with the Master‘s wife, also helped female students from abroad adjust to the English culture and climate. 

Joan sadly died in October 2019. Reg continues to live at his home in Madingley having just celebrated his 100th birthday. Although his mobility is not as good as it was, he has lost nothing of the acuity of his mind or memory.