Sir Peter Mansfield’s granddaughters: ‘He should be remembered for saving lives’

Video: Sir Peter Mansfield’s granddaughters pay tribute to their granddad 

Sir Peter Mansfield’s granddaughters have said their granddad, who died last week, should be remembered for saving ‘millions of lives’.

Sir Peter invented groundbreaking Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning technology at the University of Nottingham, which led to scanners being used in hospitals all over the world.

He died on Wednesday (February 8), aged 83, and tributes have been paid from people across the globe.

Granddaughter Charlotte, 22, a philosophy and English student at the University of Nottingham, said it was “endearing to think that so many people care about him and his work”.

She told Notts TV: “He was fiercely ambitious, passionate and adored his family marginally more than he enjoyed physics; physics was a great love of his.

“For what he contributed to society and humanity, he wouldn’t make a huge fuss about it.

“He would be quietly humble and so thankful to everyone for all the tributes.”

Remembering their granddad: Charlotte Mansfield (left) and Samantha Mansfield (right).

His death comes less than a month after a £9 million investment was unveiled to upgrade the facilities at the University of Nottingham and Queen’s Medical Centre, which are named the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre.

Sir Peter won a Nobel Prize in 2003 for his contribution to physiology and medicine and had a tram named after him in 2015.

Samantha, 20, said her grandfather was “very loving”.

The University of Derby law student said: “Family was always first. He was the most modest man you could meet as well; he was incredibly humble.

“We’re so proud to be related to him. We’re honoured – not proud, honoured.”

Sir Peter was born in London in 1933 and moved to Nottingham to become a lecturer at the department of physics at the University of Nottingham in 1964.

In 1968, he was appointed senior lecturer and it was in the following decade he and his colleagues were credited with the invention of the MRI scanner.

A new, innovative MRI scanner at the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre.

In secondary school, Sir Peter failed his exams – and teachers sneered at him when he said he wanted to become a scientist.

But he defied all odds and chased his dreams – and this determination has rubbed off on Samantha.

“My teachers at my school said I wouldn’t get into university and I’m now doing a law degree,” she said.

“I have the motivation from him. It’s very inspiring how he got told he’d never do what he wanted, to achieve his dreams. He proved them wrong and I’m proving my teachers wrong.”

Sir Peter was made Professor for the department of physics in 1990 and held the position until he retired in 1994.

He married Jean Margaret Kibble in 1962 and has two children, along with two other grandchildren: Thomas, 21, and Matthew, 18.

In 1993 he was knighted for his service to physics and received the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Prize for MRI in 1995 as well as the Gold Medal of the journal Clinical MRI.

Samantha said: “He should be remembered as a hero. He saved millions of lives. He should always be remembered, always.”

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