John Arthur Langley qualified M.R.C.V.S. on 22nd December 1932 from the Royal Veterinary College, London, and was soon commissioned in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. When posted to India his love of horses and racing was evident from his involvement with the Calcutta Turf Club. On leaving the army and returning to the UK he became assistant trainer to the late Sir Jack Jarvis and retained a keen interest in racing. He joined the Equine Research Station of the Animal Health Trust as Anaesthetist in November 1961 and practised there until 1975. He retained his Trainer’s Licence and was able to further the work of the Trust in exercise medicine by training horses for racing in a number of research programmes before he retired.
John Langley, with John Hickman and Philip Mitchell, was founding member of the British Equine Veterinary Association and he was a member of the Eastern Counties Veterinary Association. He attended meetings of both Associations whenever he was fit enough to do so, even in later years after a knee replacement operation.
An active member of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland soon after its inception, he served as Secretary and then as a most popular and successful President from 1976 to 1979. He was later elected a Vice President for Life for his untiring work in raising funds for the A.V.A. to set up a Trust Fund to assist those training for higher qualifications in veterinary anaesthesia. The Trust Fund project was very dear to his heart and is one from which many younger members of the Association have benefitted. The Langley Prize, awarded by the A.V.A for the best work published each year in the Journal of Veterinary Anaesthesia, was initiated in his honour.
His active participation in the affairs of the A.V.A. persisted until April 1989, when he attended its 25th Anniversary Meeting at the Bristol Veterinary School. On that occasion he was made a Fellow of the Association, a rare distinction and one which he obviously appreciated.
John Langley’s old-world courtesy, integrity, good nature, generosity of spirit and sense of humour were treasured by the members of the AVA. The Association was honoured to have him as a member and he will be missed.