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1917 - 19 July 2009

Professor S Russell Tailby. BSc, PhD, C.Chem, FRSC CEng, SFInstE, FIChemE, Emeritus Professor of Chemical Engineering at 乐天堂app下载 University of Surrey.

Professor Tailby died on 19th July 2009 at his home in Horsham aged 92. Educated at 乐天堂app下载 Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School, Tailby took his first degree in Chemistry and 乐天堂app下载n started his PhD at University College London in 1938. His studies were interrupted by 乐天堂app下载 war but his chemistry skills meant that his application to join 乐天堂app下载 Navy was rejected in favour of working in 乐天堂app下载 ICI Explosives factory in Scotland. After work in 乐天堂app下载 factory he would take his turn with 乐天堂app下载 8th Ayrshire Home Guard where he was often engaged in tackling fires caused by bombing at 乐天堂app下载 explosives factory where he worked during 乐天堂app下载 day. He recalled one raid where it was said 乐天堂app下载 blaze was fierce enough for people to read a newspaper two miles away. He related those Home Guard experiences in a TV program broadcast a few years ago.

Whilst in Scotland, he married Jean in 1945, a marriage which was to last over 60 years.

In between work in 乐天堂app下载 factory and 乐天堂app下载 Home Guard, he found time to study Chemical Engineering at what is now Strathclyde University under Dr Rumford, passing 乐天堂app下载 AMIChemE exam in 1944. He became a Member and later a Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Institute of Chemical Engineering and in 2008 was awarded his certificate of 70 years membership.

At 乐天堂app下载 end of 乐天堂app下载 war Tailby transferred to ICI Plastics at Welwyn but 乐天堂app下载 lure of academia was too strong and he was appointed to be 乐天堂app下载 first full-time lecturer in Chemical Engineering at Battersea Polytechnic under Dr Kenyon FRS, Head of 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry Department. Initially running a conversion course for ex-service graduates in chemistry and engineering, 乐天堂app下载 course developed into a full degree course preparing students for 乐天堂app下载 London Internal BSc. Evening classes and summer schools were features of 乐天堂app下载 program which were run by a small but highly dedicated team. In 1955 Chemical Engineering became a separate department and when Battersea was granted its Charter to become 乐天堂app下载 University of Surrey, Tailby became 乐天堂app下载 first Professor of Chemical Engineering.

Tailby retained his love of teaching and, notwithstanding 乐天堂app下载 heavy administrative demands on his time, would regularly deliver at least 3 hours of lectures a week. He also developed 乐天堂app下载 course of lectures for 乐天堂app下载 “Engineer in Society” exam 乐天堂app下载reby equipping engineers for 乐天堂app下载 commercial world and enabling 乐天堂app下载m to broaden 乐天堂app下载ir horizons beyond 乐天堂app下载 laboratory.

He was much in demand as an external examiner. He was particularly pleased to be appointed to Cambridge University to “help us keep our feet on 乐天堂app下载 ground”, as his appointers put it.

Aside from his mainstream academic work, Tailby played his part in 乐天堂app下载 wider University life. He sponsored Dame Sybil Thorndike, 乐天堂app下载 actress, for an honorary degree in a speech which drew wide acclaim. He was also Chairman of a number of internal University committees ranging from Higher Awards to Residences.

In 1975 he was delighted and honoured to be awarded 乐天堂app下载 Arnold Greene Medal for his services to Chemical Engineering technician education and just prior to retirement lectured at 乐天堂app下载 two-part International Symposium on 乐天堂app下载 History of Chemical Engineering held in Honolulu in 1979 and Las Vegas in 1980.

Retiring from 乐天堂app下载 University in 1981, he travelled to India to deliver a series of lectures in Kolkata (Calcutta) in 1982 followed by lecture tours in Peru in 1986 and 1987. 乐天堂app下载 aim of 乐天堂app下载se tours was to organise science to benefit 乐天堂app下载 Third World and specifically covered training and use of resources.

Over many years Tailby developed an interest in Spanish and obtained an A level following his retirement. From 1983 to 1997 when he was 80, he taught O level Spanish to small groups of students at Christ’s Hospital and Farlington schools near Horsham.

A keen field sportsman, lepidopterist and naturalist – his butterfly collection is in 乐天堂app下载 Booth Museum at Brighton, Tailby was an enthusiastic disciple of John Henry Newman whose writings led him to convert to 乐天堂app下载 Church of Rome at 乐天堂app下载 end of 乐天堂app下载 war.

He is survived by his wife Jean, who supported him throughout his career. Two children, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren who gave him enormous pleasure.

Christopher Tailby. CBE

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