William Henry Lewis (1869 – 25 May 1963) was Professor of Chemistry at the

University of Exeter The University of Exeter is a public university , public research university in Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School of Min ...

for more than 30 years. Lewis was educated at

University College of Wales, Aberystwyth , 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 = ...

(as it was then known) and

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship St ...

. After graduating, he was a science teacher at

Exeter School Exeter School is an independent co-educational day school for pupils between the ages of 7 and 18 in Exeter, Devon, England. In 2019, there were around 200 pupils in the Junior School and 700 in the Senior School. History The School traces its ...

for seven years, before being appointed Professor of Chemistry at University College, Exeter (as it was then known) in 1901. From 1925 until his retirement in 1935, he combined his position as Professor with that of Vice-Principal of the College, helping to publicise the institution throughout Devon. In his role as Professor, he was regarded as having built up the Chemistry department from nothing into a "strong and vital unit." He served on the council of the

Royal Institute of Chemistry The Royal Institute of Chemistry was a British scientific organisation. Founded in 1877 as the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and Ireland (ICGBI), its role was to focus on qualifications and the professional status of chemists, and its aim ...

from 1924 to 1927. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Exeter University in 1957.

References

1869 births 1963 deaths Alumni of Aberystwyth University Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford British chemists Academics of the University of Exeter {{UK-chemist-stub