Robert H. Whytlaw-Gray, OBE, FRS (14 June 1877 – 29 January 1958) was an English chemist, born in London. He studied at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

and

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

and was

Professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...

of Inorganic Chemistry at the

University of Leeds , mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased , established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds , ...

. He and

William Ramsay Sir William Ramsay (; 2 October 1852 – 23 July 1916) was a Scottish chemist who discovered the noble gases and received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1904 "in recognition of his services in the discovery of the inert gaseous element ...

isolated

radon Radon is a chemical element with the symbol Rn and atomic number 86. It is a radioactive, colourless, odourless, tasteless noble gas. It occurs naturally in minute quantities as an intermediate step in the normal radioactive decay chains through ...

and studied its physical properties (density, weight).[]

Early life and education

Robert Whytlaw-Gray (also Robert Whytlaw Whytlaw-Gray) was born in Hampstead on 14 June 1877, son of Robert James Gray and Mary Gilkieson Gemmell Whytlaw. His early education was at St Paul’s School, where little science was taught. When he was about 12, Whytlaw-Gray set up a laboratory at home and taught himself chemistry. At eighteen he went to the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

to study engineering and it was there that he heard a lecture by

which so inspired him that he determined to go to

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

(UCL), to study under him. This he did, from 1896, so successfully that he won the Tufnell Scholarship in chemistry in 1898. The prize is awarded to “the best graduate, under the age of 24, progressing to the Research School” which presumably means Whytlaw-Gray gained a first degree, although there is no formal record of this. In 1903 he joined Anschütz’s lab at the

University of Bonn The Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn (german: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn) is a public research university located in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded in its present form as the ( en, Rhine ...

, where he worked on the atomic weight of nitrogen and where he was awarded a PhD in 1906.

Academic career

On his return to UCL Whytlaw-Gray was appointed to Ramsay’s staff, and made Assistant Professor in 1908. He worked on the physical properties of

, resigning his post in 1914. The following year he started as a temporary science master at

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England * Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States * Éton, a commune in the Meuse dep ...

. Later Whytlaw-Gray was appointed a civilian chemical adviser to the Chemical Warfare Committee. He started work on aerosols and toxic smokes, assisted by J B Speakman. These researches were of great practical value in the

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

effort, and continued for many years. In 1923 he was appointed

of Inorganic Chemistry and Head of the Chemistry Department at the

in succession to

Arthur Smithells Arthur Smithells, Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, CMG Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (24 May 1860 – 24 February 1939) was a British chemist. Early life and education Smithells was born in Bury, Lancashire on 24 May 1860. ...

. He stayed at Leeds for 22 years. The University conferred on him the title of Emeritus Professor on his retirement and, in 1950, the degree of

DSc DSC may refer to: Academia * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dalton State Col ...

honoris causa.

Honours

Whytlaw-Gray was awarded the OBE in 1920. He was elected a

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 knowledge, including mathemat ...

(FRS) in 1928.

Personal life

Whytlaw-Gray married Doris Fortescue Carr at St Stephen Walbrook on 22 July 1911. They had two daughters, Philippa Mary (born 1915) and Alianore Doris (born 1916).

Death

Whytlaw-Gray died on 21 January 1958, aged 80The National Probate Calendar entry has the wrong date of death: 21 January 1959 at The Cottage Hospital,

Welwyn Garden City Welwyn Garden City ( ) is a town in Hertfordshire, England, north of London. It was the second garden city in England (founded 1920) and one of the first new towns (designated 1948). It is unique in being both a garden city and a new town and ...

. His wife died in 1961.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whytlaw-Gray, Robert 1877 births 1958 deaths English chemists Scientists from London People educated at St Paul's School, London Alumni of the University of Glasgow Alumni of University College London University of Bonn alumni Academics of University College London Academics of the University of Leeds Fellows of the Royal Society 20th-century British people 20th-century chemists Radon Officers of the Order of the British Empire