Chemistry at Birmingham : Sir Norman Haworth, F.R.S

Abstract

Sir NORMAN HAWORTH, who has held the Mason chair of chemistry and the directorship of the Chemistry Department in the University of Birmingham since 1925, is to retire from office at the end of the present session. He studied at the Victoria University of Manchester and, after periods spent in Germany and at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, he proceeded to St. Andrews as lecturer in organic chemistry. From there he went to Armstrong College, Newcastle (University of Durham), as professor of organic chemistry (1920), and five years later he was elected to the Mason chair at Birmingham in succession to Sir Gilbert Morgan. Under Haworth‘s leadership the research school at Birmingham rapidly became the chief centre for structural investigation in the carbohydrate group, and the importance of his contributions in this field was recognized by the award of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1937). In addition to the direction of a large research school which has attracted workers from all over the world, Sir Norman Haworth has contributed greatly to developments in teaching methods and to the organisation of his department. Re has held office as dean of the Faculty of Science and as vice-principal of the University of Birmingham and has served on many Govern,ment boards and committees. Re is a Longstaff medallist of the Chemical Society, of which he was president during the years 1944-46. Re is now a vice-president of the Royal Society, from which he has received both the Davy Medal and a Royal Medal.