W. T. Godber

Godber was born on 5 June 1904[3] in Kempston, Bedfordshire.[4] He was the son of Isaac Godber, a nurseryman and florist originally from Nottinghamshire, and Bessie Maud Godber, originally from Hertfordshire.[1][4] He was the eldest of seven children all of whom were born in Bedfordshire and would distinguish themselves in later life.[1] By 1911 the family had moved from Kempston to Willington in Bedfordshire[4] and William Godber was educated at Bedford Modern School.[5]

In partnership with his father and trading as I. Godber & Son, Godber initially ran a farm in Harrold, Bedfordshire.[6] The partnership was dissolved in 1935 after which Godber continued to carry on the business but trading in his own name.[6]

Godber became an authority on agricultural engineering and sat on many important boards connected with husbandry.[1] He was an adviser to the British Government on agricultural issues, was a board member of the British Society for Research in Agricultural Engineering[7][8][9][10] and, in 1969, was elected Chairman of the Bedfordshire Agricultural Executive Committee.[11][12]

Godber was elected Chairman of the Farmers' Club in 1971[1][13] and President of the East of England Agricultural Society in 1975 before being succeeded by John Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch.[14] Godber was also Chairman of the Shuttleworth College, Bedfordshire[15] and, in 1974, was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Agricultural Society of England in recognition of his services in promoting the objects for which the Society was established.[16]

Godber was appointed CBE in 1967.[2]

A number of Godber's siblings distinguished themselves in later life:

• Baron Godber of Willington, British Conservative party politician and cabinet minister;[1]
• Sir George Godber GCB, Chief Medical Officer of the United Kingdom;[1]
• Joyce Godber, historian of Bedfordshire and author;[4][17]
• Rowland John Godber, owner of a rubber plantation in Malaya and later a prisoner of war. The diary of his experiences as a prisoner of war are extant and held by the Imperial War Museum;[18] and
• Geoffrey Chapman Godber, CBE DL, Chief executive of West Sussex County Council.[19]

Godber was married to Dorothy and had 2 daughters, Gillian and Susan.[20] He died in Bedfordshire on 18 April 1981.[1]