From Burton GP to Dino Discoverer

There aren’t many former Burton GPs who end up naming prehistoric creatures after world-famous sailors - but then, Jeremy Lockwood isn’t your average former Burton GP.

Long-time residents might remember Dr. Lockwood from his years as a well-loved doctor at the surgery in Stapenhill. He lived in Burton with his wife Patricia and family and was a regular fixture on the local theatre scene, performing with the New Era musical theatre group. But now he’s trading stethoscopes and show tunes for fossils and academic journals - and making a serious name for himself in the process.

Now a PhD student at the University of Portsmouth and the Natural History Museum, Jeremy has just identified a brand-new species of dinosaur. The creature roamed what is now the Isle of Wight some 125 million years ago, and it comes with a rather striking feature: an enormous sail-like structure running along its back and tail.

The newly-named dinosaur, Istiorachis macaruthurae, gets its name from the Greek for “sail spine” and from the surname of record-breaking yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur, who famously circled the globe solo in 2005. It’s a fitting tribute, given that Dame Ellen hails from the same island where the fossils were unearthed.

The dinosaur belongs to a group of plant-eating creatures known as iguanodontians - imagine the herbivorous workhorses of the Early Cretaceous period. The fossil bones were first discovered years ago and had long been assumed to belong to a known species. But after meticulous study, Dr. Lockwood realised they told a different story.

Istiorachis macaruthurae artwork credit: James Brown

What stood out were the unusually long neural spines - bones that stick up from the vertebrae. These are thought to have supported a sail-like structure, possibly used for visual display, perhaps to impress potential mates. Think prehistoric peacock, but much bigger and with less flapping.

While the precise purpose of such sails is still up for debate, many scientists believe they were more about style than function. In this case, the dramatic spines suggest that our newly-named dino was showing off - a Jurassic-era bit of flair.

Dr. Lockwood’s research involved comparing these fossilised backbones to an extensive database of similar dinosaur species. His findings revealed that these spines were not only tall but particularly exaggerated - even among their already flamboyant cousins. That kind of trait tends to evolve for one reason: to stand out.

What makes this story even more remarkable is that the fossils had been sitting in museum drawers for years, waiting for someone to take a closer look. Thanks to Jeremy’s keen eye and patient work, we now have a new piece of Britain’s ancient puzzle - and a new dinosaur to add to the list.

In fact, over the last five years, Jeremy’s efforts have led to the discovery of several new dinosaur species on the Isle of Wight, significantly boosting our understanding of the island’s prehistoric past.

It’s a long way from the quiet consulting rooms of Stretton and the bright lights of the New Era stage - but Burton can be proud. One of our own is now helping to rewrite the history of life on Earth, one fossil at a time.