Dr Jeffery Lewins (1985) 1930-2019

It is with very great sadness that we inform Members that our friend, colleague and Magdalene Life Fellow, Dr Jeffery Lewins (1985), died on Friday 23 August in hospital.

He had been ill for some time, but he suffered a stroke on Wednesday from which he did not recover. The death of Dr Jeffery Lewins deprives Magdalene of one of our most amiable, engaged and accomplished Fellows.  

Jeffery joined us after a distinguished career in the University of London, but he started out as a sapper. After Sandhurst (where he was awarded the Gold Medal), he held a commission in the Royal Engineers, serving in Korea, Germany and Scotland. While in the army, he studied Mechanical Science at Cambridge and then gained his PhD in Nuclear Engineering at MIT. Later he gained a further PhD from Cambridge and a London DSc (Eng). His work was in the application and interpretation of mathematical methods to nuclear power problems and he published many books and articles in this field, becoming editor of several prestigious academic series and serving as President of the Institute of Nuclear Engineers.

After leaving the military, he took up a post as the first Warden of Hughes Parry Hall and as a lecturer in the University of London in 1968. Coming to the Department of Engineering here in Cambridge, Jeffery joined Magdalene College, succeeding Dr Roger Morris as Director of Studies in Engineering, and taking on many roles within the College including a memorable stint as Praelector. After retirement, he became a Life Fellow. Playing an important part in the expansion of the College’s computer facilities at an early stage, and sharing amongst the Fellows, students and staff his lifelong passion for the writing of Rudyard Kipling, he remained a lively presence within the College until very recently. Despite failing eyesight, he attended Chapel, dinner in Hall and many special musical occasions. He will be very much missed for his consistent upbeat approach to life, for his unfeigned interest in everyone he met, and for his major contribution to the development of Engineering within the College.

We offer his family our deep condolences.