Hidden Henley

A bold claim can be found on this modest grave headstone “He was the first to span the earth by radio”. This must have been someone remarkable, yet overlooked. I must first mention that for the 25 years that I gave these Hidden Henley articles to the local newspaper, I covered subjects both in our town and also the surrounding area – just like the Henley Standard itself. Only two miles out of our town, this grave can be seen in Rotherfield Greys churchyard. The full inscription reads: Cecil William Goyder 1905-1980 He was the first to span the earth by radio 18 10 1924

On line research has found me only scant information, although there is a website for Mill Hill where he was a boarder and amateur radio enthusiast. Evidently, his situation necessitated him making do with a spring mattress as an aerial and ex-army surplus parts for his electronics! The site says that he made the first successful two-way radio call, even though we are all taught that Marconi was the inventor of the “wireless”. Could it be that like another unsung local hero Humphrey Gainsborough who seems to have been ignored with his steam power invention in favour of James Watt, we have another major historical first linked to our area with Goyder being ignored in favour of Marconi?

He died in a car accident in the USA where he had been first communications officer of the UN.

There are other graves in the same family close by including Lily Julia Goyder 1879-1969, William Goyder 1873-1971 and George Armin Goyder 1908-1997, but the full story and the inventor’s connection with the Henley area is proving difficult to uncover. Can anyone reading this throw some light on our curious, talented scientist?