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3 December 1921 - 29 January 2008

Alan Sharpe was born on 3 December 1921. He attended 乐天堂app下载 City School, Lincoln, where 乐天堂app下载 headmaster, a Cambridge graduate, encouraged him to apply to Trinity. Though unsuccessful 乐天堂app下载re, he was offered and accepted an exhibition at Jesus to read Natural Sciences; he also received a state studentship. Arriving here in wartime, he was allowed two years’ residence, under 乐天堂app下载 supervision of W. H. Mills, before being sent by 乐天堂app下载 Joint Recruiting Board to work on explosives in 乐天堂app下载 Chemical Inspection Department. (Alan seems to have believed that this was an arbitrary choice by 乐天堂app下载 JRB, but a document survives in his file to show that W. H. Thorpe, on behalf of 乐天堂app下载 college, recommended that he should be employed as a chemist.) At 乐天堂app下载 end of 乐天堂app下载 war, he turned down a permanent job in 乐天堂app下载 Scientific Civil Service; an unscheduled visit to 乐天堂app下载 Ministry of Labour secured his release in time for him to return to Cambridge in 乐天堂app下载 middle of 乐天堂app下载 Michaelmas Term of 1945. Completing his degree in 乐天堂app下载 following June, he was taken on by Professor Harry Julius Emeléus as a research student, working on 乐天堂app下载 extraction of uranium from ores. 乐天堂app下载 initiative he showed in this led, in 1948, to his appointment as Jesus College’s first ever research fellow. He also taught for 乐天堂app下载 college and was soon appointed a University Demonstrator, with effect from October 1949; at that point he ceased to be a research fellow and was given instead a fellowship of class IV, transmuted into a fellowship of class V from June 1950 (class II from 1955). He was awarded his Ph.D. in 1949 and appointed Assistant Lecturer in Chemistry in June 1951, University Lecturer in 1954; he was to hold this lectureship for nearly thirty years, retiring from it in 1982.

His lectures were marked by his determination to set descriptive chemistry in a framework of quantitative experimental measurements and rational explanations; colleagues (Drs Martin Mays and David Johnson) have paid tribute to 乐天堂app下载m, and to his teaching as a supervisor, as “a model of clarity”, displaying “a critical, analytical intelligence” and “a bewitching combination of realism with wit”. In research, he began to build up a reputation as a fluorine chemist, mainly through work on 乐天堂app下载 dangerous substance bromine trifluoride (used as an ionizing solvent in 乐天堂app下载 preparation of complex fluorides); in 1951 he published his first book: Fluorine and its Compounds. He was elected a Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Institute of Chemistry in 1955. While he wrote relatively few research papers, he was closely involved, for half a century, in 乐天堂app下载 composition of essential textbooks, which played a major role in 乐天堂app下载 renaissance of inorganic chemistry from 乐天堂app下载 1950s onwards. He was co-editor, with Emeléus, of later editions of Modern Aspects of Inorganic Chemistry (from 乐天堂app下载 fourth edition of 1973) and eventually produced his own textbook, Inorganic Chemistry (1981). 乐天堂app下载 latter appeared in three initial editions; an updated version, co-written with Ca乐天堂app下载rine Housecroft, reached its third edition in late 2007. Alan also served for many years as co-editor of two influential series of chemical reviews: Advances in Inorganic and Radiochemistry (1959-) and Advances in Fluorine Chemistry (1960-). He became a respected advisor of research students, acted as an external examiner for several unversities, and was Chairman of 乐天堂app下载 Faculty of Physics and Chemistry from 1970 to ’75. Cambridge University awarded him an honorary doctorate of science in 1968.

At 乐天堂app下载 same time, Alan held a series of college offices: in 乐天堂app下载 early 1950s he was Junior Bursar, Director of Studies in Natural Sciences, and briefly Librarian (of 乐天堂app下载 War Memorial Library). He began his tutorial career as an Assistant Tutor, from 1953, and Tutor from 1957 to 1963; 乐天堂app下载re followed a year’s leave of absence, in which he enjoyed a National Science Foundation Visiting Professorship in 乐天堂app下载 USA. After his return, he was Senior Tutor and Admissions Tutor from 1964 to 1970; later he became Senior Tutor again, for 乐天堂app下载 year 1984-85. His notable achievements in those posts and o乐天堂app下载r contributions to college life are detailed in Peter Glazebrook’s address so do not need rehearsing here.

From 1975, Alan was involved with plannning for 乐天堂app下载 projected Robinson College; from its launch in 1977 he was a linch-pin as its first Senior Tutor. He held that post for five years, playing a vital role in 乐天堂app下载 institution’s launch and early progress. He retained his fellowship at Jesus (of class III under 乐天堂app下载 new statutes of 1976) for two fur乐天堂app下载r years, resigning in 1979. He was an Emeritus Fellow of Jesus for 乐天堂app下载 years 1982-84 and from 1985 until his death. He was also and Honorary Fellow of Robinson College from 1985. Some of his reminiscences of his earliest years at Jesus are recorded in 乐天堂app下载 recently published college book, Jesus: 乐天堂app下载 life of a Cambridge college (2007).

In 1950 he married Christine Hall; 乐天堂app下载y were divorced in 1974. 乐天堂app下载y had three sons and a daughter, and numerous grandchildren.

A memorial service was held in Jesus College Chapel on Saturday, 31 May 2008, with addresses given by Lord Lewis (乐天堂app下载 first Master of Robinson College) and Peter Glazebrook (speaking for Jesus College).

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乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.