Grantham man starts campaign to honour Newark inventor of the CT Scanner, Sir Godfrey Hounsfield, with a blue plaque at his former school Magnus Academy in Newark
A campaign has been launched to recognise the achievements of a man whose invention changed the world of medicine.
Sir Godfrey Hounsfield is the man credited with the invention of the CT scanner, a ground-breaking piece of medical equipment which has become invaluable in helping to diagnose and treat people worldwide for the past five decades
Originally from Sutton on Trent, he attended the former Magnus School in Newark (now the Magnus Academy), where he struggled academically and left with no qualifications.
Despite this, Godfrey went on to become an electrical engineer, and while working at EMI Central Research Laboratories he came up with the idea for the CT scanner and built the first prototype.
This innovative technology was first used in 1971 to scan a patient’s body, and the invention later won him and co-inventor Allan Cormack the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, in 1979.
Now, a campaign has been started by history enthusiast Lloyd Richardson, from Grantham, to honour Sir Godfrey Hounsfield’s achievements with a blue plaque.
Lloyd first discovered Godfrey’s story while doing some online research, and thought it was strange he had not heard of him previously.
He was even more surprised to learn that Godfrey had not only grown up in the area, but attended Magnus, and upon a visit to the school Lloyd found that there was no recognition for the man there either.
“This man needs to be honoured and I was astounded that his name is so unknown,” said Lloyd.
“When I went to the school they showed me around the library, but there wasn’t any material about him. They showed me the science block, where I walked by photos of Marie Curie and Albert Einstein, yet here is a Nobel Prize winner who attended the school and wasn’t highlighted.
“His invention changed the world. As I like to put it, he’s a local boy, done good.”
Lloyd added: “The man had a very difficult time pushing the CT scanner, experts said it wouldn’t work, but he persisted.
“His invention has saved millions of lives, and as someone who has had stage three cancer I wouldn’t be alive today without it — in a way he saved my life mine too.
“So I thought it should be put right and hopefully this will be a catalyst to make sure he is celebrated.”
Lloyd has contacted Newark Civic Trust to see if they can assist in pursuing a blue plaque to honour Sir Godfrey’s achievements and hopes that it can be erected at the Magnus Academy, who have also backed the campaign.
He also hopes that more education about the man takes place, with books in the school library and potentially an exhibition at the Newark Museum on Appletongate.
