b'28 Member News July 2023ObituariesJohn Martin Godfree DFH CEng MIET19372022We are sad to report the death of John Martin Godfree, on Saturday,17 December 2022. He was a greatly respected senior electrical engineer, who worked on major projects in the construction and John Martin Godfree DFH CEng MIET tunnelling sectors. Martin, as he preferredThis skill is recognised in a recent colleagues comments:to be known, attended Sherborne School in Dorset and went on to theIts not every company where you will find the pioneering Faraday House Engineering College,Managing Director coming out in all weathers, which had been set up byat all times of the day and night, dressed in a the engineering industryboiler suit, tools in hand and launching himself in the 1880s beforeinto a muddy pit to fix an electrical fault on, electrical engineering was respectable ator re-energise the supply to a tunnel boring universities! It closed inmachine, tower crane or some other piece of 1967.Martin was verymajor plant equipment. You could rely on Martin proud of this qualification.to find a solution to most problems.After five years at Faraday House, Martins first job was with theAfter Rangitoto Martinconstruction project in New Zealand Shippingcame ashore, he joinedLondon since the 1970s and Company on the RMSFoster Transformers beforeincluding, more recently, Rangitoto (21,800 grossmoving to work for Waites.the Shard, Battersea Power tons) a passenger shipHaving gained experienceStation and Crossrail. He with refrigerated cargo.of system building in UK,never formally retired He was responsible forWaites sent him to the USAand when his advice was maintaining the shipsfor two years. sought, he was readily vital electrical systemsavailable. The most recent on voyages which tookReturning to the UK heproject he worked on was him round the world.joined Tarmac beforeBond Street Crossrail.This experience wasbecoming Chief Electrical a foundation of hisEngineer of the plant andBeing an Engineer wasnt reputation for neverengineering division ofjust a job for Martin, it was losing sight of theMowlem, Welham Plantpart of his identity. This need to be involved atLimited and from there hewas not all, the son of two a practical level, whenwent on to be ManagingBritish Wimbledon winners later he became the topDirector of Welhamin the 1920s, he kept fit with man in project teams. Electrical.sport and his collie dogs. He had a great love for In 1991 he set up his ownNew Zealand and farming company, Site Electrics Ltd,and last but not least he which is still in existencepossessed a very active today. sense of humour.Martins expertise resultedMartin is survived by his in him being involvedwife Helen and daughters in almost every majorSophie and Kate.'