Humphrey Owen Jones (20 February 1878 – 15 August 1912)
[ was a ]Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
chemist
A chemist (from Greek ''chÄ“m(Ãa)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...
and mountaineer
Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, an ...
.
Life
Jones was born at Goginan
Goginan is a small village in Ceredigion, about 7 miles outside Aberystwyth on the A44 between Ponterwyd and Capel Bangor. The Afon Melindwr runs through the village, and is a tributary of the Afon Rheidol.
The village originally grew around farm ...
, Cardiganshire
Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cere ...
, and educated at Lewis School, Pengam
Lewis School, Pengam is a comprehensive school, founded in 1729 in the parish and village of Gelligaer and, later, moved to the nearby village of Gilfach, in the Rhymney Valley in South Wales. It was founded and funded by a legacy of Sir Edward L ...
, and the University College of Wales
, mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all
, established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'')
, former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth
, type = Public
, endowment = ...
, Aberystwyth. He subsequently studied natural sciences at Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. It was refounded ...
, graduating BA in 1899 and MA in 1903. In 1904 he was admitted to D. Sc. of University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
.
On 1 August 1912 Jones married a colleague, Muriel Gwendolen Edwards, a keen climber and the first woman to be elected a Fellow of the University of Wales
The University of Wales (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Prifysgol Cymru'') is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff †...
.
Chemist
In 1901 he obtained an official appointment of demonstrator to the Jacksonian Professor of Natural Philosophy
The Jacksonian Professorship of Natural Philosophy is one of the senior chairs in natural philosophy, Natural and Experimental philosophy at University of Cambridge, Cambridge University, and was founded in 1782 by a bequest from the Reverend R ...
, Sir James Dewar
Sir James Dewar (20 September 1842 – 27 March 1923) was a British chemist and physicist. He is best known for his invention of the vacuum flask, which he used in conjunction with research into the liquefaction of gases. He also studied ato ...
, which he held up to the time of his death. He was elected in due course (1902) to a Fellowship at Clare College where he subsequently became lecturer. For eleven years Jones devoted most of his time to teaching in the university laboratory and to the supervision of the science students of his college. His scientific advice extended to students outside his college, such as Annie Homer at Newnham College. Beyond this work with students, Jones was one of the most productive British chemists of his day and published more than 60 papers between 1900 and 1912.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Jones had not visited foreign laboratories and even other English Universities. He gained his research experience entirely at Cambridge, working with Dewar and Fenton. With the latter he carried out his first experimental investigation on the "oxidation of organic acids in the presence of iron" (1900), and in 1904 prepared his own work on the stereochemistry of nitrogen. In 1907 and in 1909 he wrote the section on stereochemistry
Stereochemistry, a subdiscipline of chemistry, involves the study of the relative spatial arrangement of atoms that form the structure of molecules and their manipulation. The study of stereochemistry focuses on the relationships between stereois ...
for the annual reports of the Chemical Society
The Chemical Society was a scientific society formed in 1841 (then named the Chemical Society of London) by 77 scientists as a result of increased interest in scientific matters. Chemist Robert Warington was the driving force behind its creation.
...
. The study of organic nitrogen bases led to his attempt to solve the difficult problem of the constitution and transformations of the aldol
In organic chemistry, an aldol describes a structural motif consisting of a 3-hydroxy ketone or 3-hydroxyaldehyde. Aldols are usually the product of aldol addition. When used alone, the term "aldol" may refer to 3-hydroxybutanal.
Stereochemistr ...
bases derived from the homologues of aniline
Aniline is an organic compound with the formula C6 H5 NH2. Consisting of a phenyl group attached to an amino group, aniline is the simplest aromatic amine
In organic chemistry, an aromatic amine is an organic compound consisting of an aroma ...
. Meanwhile, Jones was assisting Dewar in very different investigations of the metallic (nickel and iron) carbonyl
In organic chemistry, a carbonyl group is a functional group composed of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom: C=O. It is common to several classes of organic compounds, as part of many larger functional groups. A compound containing a ...
s. These researches had made Jones familiar with low temperature manipulations and ultimately led to their discovery of carbon monosulfide
Carbon monosulfide is a chemical compound with the formula CS. This diatomic molecule is the sulfur analogue of carbon monoxide, and is unstable as a solid or a liquid, but it has been observed as a gas both in the laboratory and in the interstel ...
. In this way Jones' attention was directed to organic sulphur compounds, particularly thio-oxalate
Oxalate (IUPAC: ethanedioate) is an anion with the formula C2O42−. This dianion is colorless. It occurs naturally, including in some foods. It forms a variety of salts, for example sodium oxalate (Na2C2O4), and several esters such as dimethyl o ...
s, thiomalonates and thiophosphates. His eminence as an investigator was recognised in his election to the Royal Society
The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...
in 1912.[ In the same year he was appointed to the ]Royal Commission on Fuel and Engines
The British Royal Commission on Fuel and Engines was established in the United Kingdom on 31 July 1912, and its remit was " report on the means of supply and storage of Liquid Fuel in peace and war, and its application to warship engines, whether ...
.
Mountaineering
In 1907, Jones became a keen climber after receiving some tuition in Snowdonia
Snowdonia or Eryri (), is a mountainous region in northwestern Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951.
Name and extent
It was a commonly held belief that the nam ...
. He went on to pioneer some of the most difficult climbs in that region, such as Paradise on Lliwedd, which he put up in 1909. His sister, Bronwen Ceridwen Jones (later Mawson), was also an accomplished climber. Together with Karl Blodig
Karl Blodig (16 October 1859 – 7 September 1956) was an Austrian Mountaineering, mountaineer, optician, and writer. Blodig was the first to successfully climb List of Alpine four-thousanders, all Alpine peaks of over 4000 meters, completing his ...
, Geoffrey Winthrop Young
Geoffrey Winthrop Young (25 October 1876 – 8 September 1958) was a British climber, poet and educator, and author of several notable books on mountaineering.
Young was born in Kensington, the middle son of Sir George Young, 3rd Baronet (see Y ...
and the guide Josef Knubel
Josef Knubel (2 March 1881 – 31 May 1961) was a Swiss mountaineer and mountain guide. He made many first ascents and other climbs in the Alps during his career. He is best known for his ascents as a guide for Geoffrey Winthrop Young.
Early life ...
of St Niklaus
:''See Saint Nicholas (disambiguation) for disambiguation.''
St. Niklaus (french: Saint-Nicolas) is a village and a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Mattertal, part of the district of Visp (district), Visp in the Cantons of Swit ...
he made the first ascent of the Brouillard ridge to the summit of Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc (french: Mont Blanc ; it, Monte Bianco , both meaning "white mountain") is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, rising above sea level. It is the second-most prominent mountain in Europe, after Mount Elbrus, and i ...
on 9 August 1911. He thoroughly explored the Mont Blanc region and put up many new routes there. Already a member of the Committee of the Climbers' Club, in 1909 he was elected a member of the Alpine Club
The first alpine club, the Alpine Club, based in the United Kingdom, was founded in London in 1857 as a gentlemen's club. It was once described as:
:"a club of English gentlemen devoted to mountaineering, first of all in the Alps, members of which ...
. The journals of both clubs contain several papers documenting his explorations.[
]
Death
Both Jones and his wife were killed in an accident on their honeymoon in Switzerland, while climbing the Aiguille Rouge de Peuterey 2941m a subpeak of Aiguille Noire de Peuterey
The Aiguille Noire de Peuterey (3,773 m) is a mountain of the Mont Blanc massif in Italy, forming part of the Peuterey ridge to the summit of Mont Blanc with its higher neighbour, the Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey.
The best-known route on the mou ...
on 15 August 1912 in Italy; their guide, Julius Truffer, slipped and fell on Jones, and all three dropped nearly 1,000 feet to the Fresnay Glacier. Alpinist Paul Preuss witnessed the accident. They were buried at Courmayeur
Courmayeur (; Valdôtain: ) is a town and ''comune'' in northern Italy, in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley.
History
The toponym ''Courmayeur'' has been mentioned as ''Curia majori'' (1233–1381), ''Corte Maggiore'' (1620), ''Cormoyeu'' (164 ...
, Italy. The north summit of the Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey
The Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey (4,112 m) is a mountain of the Mont Blanc massif in Italy. It is considered the most difficult and serious of the alpine 4000-m mountains to climb.
There are three tops to the mountain:
*''Pointe Güssfeldt'' ( ...
was named La Pointe Jones in his honour.[
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Humphrey Owen
1878 births
1912 deaths
Welsh mountain climbers
Fellows of the Royal Society
Mountaineering deaths
Burials in Italy