Meeting Reflections

Gordon Vowles – The Godber Family

The history and fortunes of many villages are often dictated by the families residing there.

This fact was illustrated by Gordon Vowles who provided an exceptionally interesting and informative talk on the Godber family at our January meeting.

Isaac Godber was the head of the family and the founder of the Godber nursery business in Willington. From 1912 until 1984 they owned the Manor House and Isaac became the natural leader of the Willington community. He brought considerable employment to the village and he and his wife Bessie were the parents of a remarkable family of six sons and a daughter who all, in their own ways, had successful and distinguished careers.

Gordon began with Isaac. He was the youngest of eleven children and the son of a farmer. He worked as an apprentice nurseryman at Stoke Edith Park, where he gained his gardening knowledge. He wanted to run his own nursery and in 1898 he took out a lease in Kempston, operating what became the very successful New Town Nurseries. In 1903 he married Bessie Maud Chapman a farmer’s daughter from Puttenham and settled down to married life.

When the Duke of Bedford sold off his Willington estate which was then resold in smaller parcels, Isaac seized the opportunity to buy 15 acres in Willington. The Godbers had arrived and the business was soon thriving after the first glasshouses arrived in 1904. Not only did the business arrive, but children also.

The eldest son William Thomas (1904-81) studied agriculture. He went into partnership with his father as “Isaac Godber and Son”, but Isaac proved to be a difficult partner, and the business was dissolved. William began to trade independently and developed a reputation as an expert in a wide range of agricultural matters, before becoming a Government advisor. William’s knowledge and expertise also led to many other roles, including President of the East of England Agricultural Society and chairman of the Shuttleworth College Trust. His work made him well known to the influential farming community of the nation and for his services to agriculture, he was made a CBE in 1967.

The second child of the Godber’s was their only daughter, Joyce (1906–1999). She went to Oxford to read history. She taught, worked for Oxford University Press and then the Institute of Historical Research in London. She worked for Beds County Council and became County Archivist, where she wrote her monumental history of Bedfordshire. Brought up in a male dominated family household, she knew how to fight for women’s rights in support of her mother whom she adored. She was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (F.S.A.)

Next came George Edward Godber (1908–90), who became one of the founding fathers of the National Health Service. Unfortunately, an accident as a child blinded him in the right eye and he always wore a monocle. He read medicine at Oxford and twice rowed in the Varsity boat races.

At Oxford he was inspired to take up a career in public health and it was whilst working in the London docklands that he realised there was a need for a state-funded free health service. In 1939 he joined the Ministry of Health and after the war became Deputy Chief Medical Officer. He was very anti-smoking and a keen promoter of immunisation. When he took over as Chief Medical Officer of Health, he was instrumental in creating the NHS. For his services he was made a C.B., a K.C.B. and finally a Grand Cross Knight Commander (G.C.B.).

In May 1909 the family moved into their recently built home in Willington, “Scarsdale”, which was situated in Sandy Road. Then in 1911 Isaac purchased Manor Farm, Willington. The boys had daily chores to complete before they left for school to make sure they all understood hard work and service.

John Roland (1910), the first child born in Willington, joined his father working in the nursery until 1937. However, following the end of the partnership of his father and eldest brother, William took off to Malaysia to manage a rubber company. When WWII came he was interned by the Japanese. His diary of these events is currently lodged in the Imperial War Museum.

The fourth son, Geoffrey Chapman (1912-99) suffered tuberculosis when young and was exempt from serving in the Armed Forces. He did however obtain a first in law from London University and worked in local government in the Midlands. In 1934 he became Clerk to Shropshire County Council and for his services to local government was made a C.B.E.

The fifth son, Joseph (Joe) Bradshaw (1914-1980) was conservative MP for Grantham for 28 years and holder of various ministerial and Cabinet posts under three prime ministers. As a child, he worked with his father in the family nursery with “on the job” training. However, his inherent family tenacity propelled him to various important positions in local agriculture. From1946 to 1952 Joseph was a Bedfordshire County Councillor, this led to representing Grantham as their MP.

From 1957 onwards he served in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Foreign Ministry, the War Office, and as Minister of Labour for two years, then as a Privy Councillor. He was considered a “safe pair of hands” by Prime Ministers Macmillan, Douglas-Hume and Heath. In 1979 he was made a life Peer as Lord Godber of Willington but unfortunately died the following year. His wife Miriam was responsible for establishing the riding for the disabled facility in the village.

The last-born Frank Lee (1921-2014) was an articled surveyor. When war broke out, he trained as a pilot and spent a large part of the war in Coastal Command. He was transferred to India where he trained other pilots. For his war efforts he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

On Frank’s return he worked with his father in the business. However, various adverse conditions forced the nursery to diversify and it became Frosts Garden Centre. And in 2024, “Blue Diamond” took over: thus marking the end of the Godber’s involvement with Willington.

Very many thanks to Gordon for such a wonderful insight into such an interesting and distinguished family.

Alan Powell