A legacy of Lancashire: its chemists, biochemists and industrialists

Abstract

Preface

Although he probably does not remember it, it was Roy Jackson of Monash University in Melbourne and from Bacup in Lancashire who asked me if I was aware of the number of chemists coming from our mutual county. He then proceeded to rattle off the names of some for me. That was back in late 1988 when I was on leave at Monash, using the late Roger Brown’s pyrolysis equipment as we had none in Wellington.

That snippet of information lay dormant in the grey matter for some 25 years, emerging only after I had agreed to write a series on Unremembered Chemists (as Peter Hodder, the then editor of Chemistry in New Zealand insisted the series be titled - after all if I knew of them then they were not forgotten) and selected the first few subjects. I found that several Lancastrian chemists were appropriate, remembered Roy’s comment, and decided to see just how many I could find. This booklet is the culmination of these efforts. Through the good graces of Chris Moody at Nottingham University, many living chemists who have distinguished themselves, but whom I had failed to recognise because it is many years since I left the UK, are now included. It is more than likely that there are others who should be here but are omitted, and to them I apologise.

Apart from Roy and Chris, I am indebted to many of those whose details are included within these pages. Their willingness to provide information not easily available otherwise has made the writing and compiling of this ‘Legacy‘ so much the easier, and hopefully more interesting and useful. The free provision of images from numerous organisations, institutions and individuals is gratefully acknowledged for it puts the faces to the names.

The pages that follow give the names of the chemists in sequence from William Henry (b. 1774) to the present with a profile of each that provides some indication of the person and the work for which they are recognised. It is not surprising, therefore, that early scientists attract a more detailed account than those still practising the profession and adding to the kudos that they already have gained.

Brian Halton Wellington February 2015