Thomas Percy Hilditch (22 April 1886 – 9 August 1965) was an English chemist who researched organic synthesis, lipid chemistry, and catalytic production techniques. He served as a professor of industrial chemistry at the

University of Liverpool , mottoeng = These days of peace foster learning , established = 1881 – University College Liverpool1884 – affiliated to the federal Victoria Universityhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/2004/4 University of Manchester Act 200 ...

. Hilditch was born in North Islington to Thomas and Priscilla née Hall. He was educated at

Owen's School Dame Alice Owen's School (also known as Dame Alice Owen's or Owen's; referred to by the acronym DAOS) is an 11–18 mixed, partially selective secondary school and sixth form with academy status in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, England. It i ...

where he was influenced in science by his teachers F.R. Guglielmo and A.E. Dunstan. He joined University College, London to study chemistry under William Ramsay and

J. Norman Collie Professor John Norman Collie FRSE FRS (10 September 1859 – 1 November 1942), commonly referred to as J. Norman Collie, was an English scientist, mountaineer and explorer. Life and work He was born in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, the second of ...

graduating in 1907. He then worked at the

University of Jena The University of Jena, officially the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (german: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, abbreviated FSU, shortened form ''Uni Jena''), is a public research university located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany. The un ...

in 1908–1909 with

Ludwig Knorr Ludwig Knorr (2 December 1859 – 4 June 1921) was a German chemist. Together with Carl Paal, he discovered the Paal–Knorr synthesis, and the Knorr quinoline synthesis and Knorr pyrrole synthesis are also named after him. The synthesis in 18 ...

and

University of Geneva The University of Geneva (French: ''Université de Genève'') is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin as a theological seminary. It remained focused on theology until the 17th centu ...

1910–1911 with P.A. Guye before returning to London to complete studies. He received a D.Sc. in 1911. Hilditch was involved in industrial research with Joseph Crosfield and Sons to produce acetone during World War I. In 1925 he joined the University of Liverpool as a professor of Industrial Chemistry. He was elected

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

in 1942 and made

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

1952. He received the Lampitt Medal of The Society of Chemical Industry for 1962. Some of his major books were: * ''A Concise History of Chemistry'' (1911, 1922) * ''A First Year Physical Chemistry'' (1912) * ''A Third Year Course in Organic Chemistry'' (1914) * ''The Industrial Chemistry of the Fats and Waxes'' (1927) * ''The Chemical Composition of Natural Fats'' (1940)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hilditch, Thomas Percy 1886 births 1965 deaths Fellows of the Royal Society English chemists