Jan Goodall

Jane Goodall

Personal life

Born April 3, 1934, Jane Goodall was raised in a close knit family and was greatly influenced by her Mother Vanne and her Grandmother Danny. Goodall had a sister Judy who was four years younger than herself. They share the same birthday. The sisters were taught prayers at home and could go to the Christian church when they chose to go. Her family instilled values such as courage, honesty, compassion and a tolerance for other people. There were also two aunts Olwen and Audrey Gwyneth who resided with the Goodalls. They had been made homeless by the war. A frequent visitor was their uncle Eric who was a surgeon from London.

Dr. Goodall with an orphaned chimpanzee

Goodall's father was Mortimer Goodall and was in the military stationed in the jungles of Singapore. He gave Jane a gift when she was about one year old that she still treasures today. It is a toy chimpanzee named Jubilee after a chimp that was famous at the London Zoo at that time. Her parents divorced when she was a child and she and her Mother continued living with Grandmother in the little seaside town of Bournemouth, England.

Along with the family members there lived a large number of pets of all types. One of Goodall's favorites was a dog named Rusty. From an early age she loved to play with and take care of the animals. She enjoyed many friends but was equally happy alone on the seashore where they lived or spending time with her many pets. She was especially fond of climbing trees and sitting up there to read books. These traits would later be useful in helping her enjoy the solitude that would be a major part of her life's work. She recalls daydreaming of being an adult and traveling and working with animals. That dream did eventually come true for her.