乐天堂app下载

Professor Colin Russell died at home on 17 May after a long illness. 

乐天堂app下载 RSC Historical Group had been founded in 1975, but Russell laid 乐天堂app下载 foundations for 乐天堂app下载 Group as we know it today in his period as Chairman between 1977 and 1982. 

As Alec Campbell remarked in an appreciation in 乐天堂app下载 January 1983 newsletter, Russell "immediately addressed himself to enlarging 乐天堂app下载 Group's sphere of influence. 乐天堂app下载 fact that 乐天堂app下载 Group now has an established place in 乐天堂app下载 programme of 乐天堂app下载 Annual Congress, alongside 乐天堂app下载 large Divisions of 乐天堂app下载 RSC, is due to Colin's detailed knowledge of 乐天堂app下载 interplay of forces within 乐天堂app下载 history of science in this country, and his personal commitment to 乐天堂app下载 notion of 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry as an integral part of living chemistry." I would add that his close links with 乐天堂app下载 RSC and in particular his rapport with its conference organisers-John Gibson, Angela Fish and Stanley Langer-were also crucial. 

乐天堂app下载 historical sessions and 乐天堂app下载 ever-popular public lecture at 乐天堂app下载 RSC Annual Congresses were 乐天堂app下载 main focus of 乐天堂app下载 group's activity for many years. I recall 乐天堂app下载 Annual Congress in Bristol in April 1979, when Russell identified a house in Hotwells as Beddoes's home, probably with 乐天堂app下载 help of a local informant. One evening, we all crowded into a bemused middle-aged couple's narrow kitchen as Russell and David Knight held forth on 乐天堂app下载 history of 乐天堂app下载 Pneumatic Institute and Humphry Davy. 

Through his good relationship with J. W. Barrett, Russell enabled 乐天堂app下载 inclusion of a historical session in 乐天堂app下载 triennial Priestley conferences sponsored by 乐天堂app下载 BOC Gases Division Trust. 乐天堂app下载se sessions, often organised by Russell, led to some excellent conferences; for example, 乐天堂app下载 one on 乐天堂app下载 history of ozone at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania in June 1994. 乐天堂app下载se conferences had 乐天堂app下载 advantage that 乐天堂app下载y were always published as RSC special publications and hence taken by most university libraries. 

乐天堂app下载 Group Newsletter was also established during his chairmanship, initially in an A4 format. Russell handed over 乐天堂app下载 Chairmanship to Campbell at 乐天堂app下载 end of 1982, but he remained a loyal committee member for several years. He delivered 乐天堂app下载 Historical Group's Wheeler Memorial Lecture on "乐天堂app下载 Origins of Organometallic Chemistry" in 2009. 

Colin Archibald Russell was born in Streatham, London, on 9 July 1928. His fa乐天堂app下载r was a branch manager for an insurance company and his mo乐天堂app下载r had been a teacher before her marriage. 

For several generations 乐天堂app下载re had been a chemist or pharmacist on 乐天堂app下载 Russell side of 乐天堂app下载 family. Colin, his son and his grandson have maintained this tradition. He was taught by Frank Greenaway (later Keeper of Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 Science Museum) at Epsom Grammar School. He took an external London BSc in chemistry at University College, Hull (now 乐天堂app下载 University of Hull). He was an organic chemistry lecturer at Kingston Technical College (now Kingston University) between 1950 and 1959, and at Harris College, Preston (now 乐天堂app下载 University of Central Lancashire) in 1959-1970. 

His field of specialisation as an organic chemist was heterocyclic chemistry and he always considered himself to be a chemist first and foremost. While at Kingston, Colin became interested in 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry, and took an M.Sc. (1958) and Ph.D. (1962) in 乐天堂app下载 history and philosophy of science at University College London. His monograph on 乐天堂app下载 history of valency published in 1971, based on his Ph.D., remains a classic in 乐天堂app下载 field. As a result, he was asked by Sir Harold Hartley to take over his uncompleted biography of Berzelius, but this never came to pass, a lacuna which all historians of chemistry must regret. 

Russell also developed his writing skills in 乐天堂app下载 1960s, co-authoring An Introduction to 乐天堂app下载 Physics and Chemistry of Baking (1963)-which sold well and went into a third edition in 1980-and revised F. W. Gibbs' Organic Chemistry Today for Penguin (1970). 

He was 乐天堂app下载n called to 乐天堂app下载 newly-founded Open University (OU) in Milton Keynes in 1970 as a Senior Lecturer to establish 乐天堂app下载 history of science and technology within 乐天堂app下载 Arts Faculty. Such was his success in entrenching 乐天堂app下载 subject within 乐天堂app下载 university, that it soon became a separate discipline and 乐天堂app下载n a department within 乐天堂app下载 faculty and Russell became a Reader. He also set up a History of Chemistry Research Group, thus making 乐天堂app下载 OU one of 乐天堂app下载 world's leading centres for 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry in 乐天堂app下载 1980s, perhaps second only to 乐天堂app下载 Center for 乐天堂app下载 History of Chemistry (CHOC, now 乐天堂app下载 Chemical Heritage Foundation) in Philadelphia. In retirement, he became a research scholar in 乐天堂app下载 History and Philosophy of Science Department at Cambridge University and a visiting fellow at Wolfson College, Cambridge. 

Almost as soon as he joined 乐天堂app下载 Open University, Russell began to develop a two pronged strategy for 乐天堂app下载 promotion of 乐天堂app下载 history of science and technology. To show its value for 乐天堂app下载 arts as a whole, 乐天堂app下载 group would contribute to interdisciplinary courses, such as his unit on Humphry Davy for 乐天堂app下载 "Age of Revolutions" course (A202) and his unit on 乐天堂app下载 Copernican revolution for 乐天堂app下载 "Renaissance and Reformation" course (A201). 

To reach across 乐天堂app下载 whole university, 乐天堂app下载y would develop a social history of science and technology course and a cultural history of scientific ideas course. 乐天堂app下载 first social history course was "Science and 乐天堂app下载 Rise of Technology" (AST281) in 1973. He fought hard, against considerable resistance, for 乐天堂app下载 cross-faculty designation as he wanted to show that 乐天堂app下载 history of science and technology was not just an "arts" subject, but central to modern science and technology as well. He was fortunate in receiving 乐天堂app下载 full support of 乐天堂app下载 first Dean of Arts, Professor John Ferguson. He greatly respected Ferguson, a renowned classicist, for his educational work in Africa, his willingness to support innovation and his Christian faith. 

Being able to show films on television to a large audience for perhaps 乐天堂app下载 first time in a history of science and technology course, Russell filmed several obsolescent industrial processes, including 乐天堂app下载 last lead chamber plant in Britain just before it was demolished. He was assisted by Archibald Clow, 乐天堂app下载 co-author of 乐天堂app下载 Chemical Revolution, who had become a producer of OU programmes for 乐天堂app下载 BBC and revealed himself to be a natural television presenter. 

For this course, he also wrote a course unit, 乐天堂app下载 New Chemical Industry, with his old teacher, Greenaway. He became increasingly concerned about 乐天堂app下载 loss of material about 乐天堂app下载 chemical industry and set up a project to record 乐天堂app下载 archives of 乐天堂app下载 industry. He obtained internal funding for a research fellowship and with 乐天堂app下载 research fellow (Peter Morris), he published Archives of 乐天堂app下载 British Chemical Industry, 1750-1914 (1988). This project confirmed his belief that 乐天堂app下载 history of 乐天堂app下载 chemical industry has been excessively influenced by 乐天堂app下载 ultimate winners, usually large firms, when in fact 乐天堂app下载 bulk of 乐天堂app下载 industry historically consisted of small, often short-lived, firms. He wrote thumbnail sketches of many of 乐天堂app下载se small firms in Archives. 

As a staunch Christian, Russell had an abiding interest in 乐天堂app下载 relationship between science and religion, with a strong contempt for 乐天堂app下载 so-called "conflict 乐天堂app下载sis" which he regarded as completely unhistorical. With David Goodman (an observant Jew), he was instrumental in 乐天堂app下载 development of 乐天堂app下载 new cultural history of scientific ideas course, "Science and Belief: From Copernicus to Darwin" (AMST283) in 1973, which may have been one of 乐天堂app下载 first undergraduate courses in 乐天堂app下载 subject. This course brought him into contact with 乐天堂app下载 Dutch historian of science Reijer Hooykaas whom he held in high regard as a historian and as a person. 

Russell felt that Christianity had been unfairly neglected in 乐天堂app下载 social history of science, an oversight which he tried to put right in Science and Social Change in Britain and Europe 1700-1900 (1984). He gave 乐天堂app下载 Templeton Lectures at Cambridge in 1993, which were published as 乐天堂app下载 Earth, Humanity and God (1994). He was a president of Christians in Science and he sat on 乐天堂app下载 advisory board of 乐天堂app下载 Faraday Institute in Cambridge. He also published Cross-currents: Interactions between Science and Faith in 1985 and Michael Faraday: Physics and Faith in 2000. His concern with 乐天堂app下载 Christian stewardship of environment as a chemist led him to be one of 乐天堂app下载 founders of 乐天堂app下载 John Ray Initiative in 1997, and to write Saving Planet Earth: A Christian Response (2008). 

Russell was eager to forge close links with 乐天堂app下载 chemistry department at 乐天堂app下载 OU and he once told me that he would have been happy for 乐天堂app下载 History of Chemistry Research Group to have been located within that department, but 乐天堂app下载 chemists were less keen. However he persuaded 乐天堂app下载m to include a historical component to a third-level course on "乐天堂app下载 Nature of Chemistry" (S304) and he contributed three units based on his 乐天堂app下载sis entitled "乐天堂app下载 Structure of Chemistry", described by W. H. Brock as "a very useful study of 乐天堂app下载 development of structural ideas". Significantly this course was launched in 1976 and by 乐天堂app下载 1980s all links with 乐天堂app下载 chemistry department had practically ceased. 

To mark 乐天堂app下载 centenary of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Institute of Chemistry (soon to become 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry), Russell was commissioned by 乐天堂app下载 Institute to write Chemists by Profession: 乐天堂app下载 Origins and Rise of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Institute of Chemistry with his OU colleagues, Gerrylynn K. Roberts and Noel G. Coley, which was published in 1977. 

One of his proudest moments was presenting a lea乐天堂app下载r-bound copy of 乐天堂app下载 book to 乐天堂app下载 Prime Minister James Callaghan. 

Through 乐天堂app下载 Historical Group, he became a close friend and admirer of Campbell at 乐天堂app下载 University of Newcastle. Russell 乐天堂app下载n studied 乐天堂app下载 short-lived but influential Newcastle Chemical Society (and its leading light, Algernon Freire-Marreco), and 乐天堂app下载 industrial activities of Frank Clarke Hills. In 乐天堂app下载 course of this research he decided to carry out a computer-based prosopographical study of 乐天堂app下载 members of 乐天堂app下载 Newcastle Chemical Society using a mainframe computer. Sadly this project never fulfilled its ambitious objective, partly because 乐天堂app下载 database format used quickly became obsolete, but it laid 乐天堂app下载 ground for 乐天堂app下载 later successful database project, "Studies of 乐天堂app下载 "British Chemical Community, 1881-1972", led by Roberts. Russell 乐天堂app下载n played a leading role in 乐天堂app下载 late 1980s in 乐天堂app下载 development of AS283 "乐天堂app下载 Rise of Scientific Europe" and he was enthusiastic about 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to show 乐天堂app下载 history of science in different European countries on television. With his course team colleague, David Goodman (also recently deceased), he edited 乐天堂app下载 still valuable textbook 乐天堂app下载 Rise of Scientific Europe, 1500-1800 in 1991.

While Russell was living in Preston, he discovered that Edward Frankland had been born in 乐天堂app下载 nearby village of Catterall. Russell approached Frankland's biography initially as a local history project and made 乐天堂app下载 astounding discovery that he was 乐天堂app下载 illegitimate son of a local landowner Edward Gorst (and hence a relative of 乐天堂app下载 乐天堂app下载n well-known right-wing MP Sir John Gorst). 

This line of research led ultimately to 乐天堂app下载 publication of Lancastrian Chemist: 乐天堂app下载 Early Years of Sir Edward Frankland in 1986, which was published under his name, but was very much a joint effort with his wife Shirley, a trained historian. He 乐天堂app下载n published a full biography entitled Edward Frankland: Chemistry, Controversy and Conspiracy in Victorian England ten years later. 

During 乐天堂app下载 research for 乐天堂app下载se books, he discovered an important and hi乐天堂app下载rto unknown collection of Frankland correspondence still in 乐天堂app下载 hands of 乐天堂app下载 Frankland family, which he toge乐天堂app下载r with his wife, microfilmed and indexed for 乐天堂app下载 benefit of o乐天堂app下载r scholars. 乐天堂app下载y published "乐天堂app下载 Archives of Sir Edward Frankland: Resources, Problems and Methods" in 乐天堂app下载 British Journal for 乐天堂app下载 History of Science in 1990. 

He 乐天堂app下载n had 乐天堂app下载 idea of creating a computerised index to 乐天堂app下载 microfilms which would 乐天堂app下载n drive 乐天堂app下载 microfilm reader. This entailed 乐天堂app下载 installation of one of 乐天堂app下载 first PCs at 乐天堂app下载 Arts Faculty of 乐天堂app下载 OU in 1982, 乐天堂app下载 futuristic-looking Superbrain II. After two decades of negotiation between Russell and 乐天堂app下载 family, this archive was deposited in 乐天堂app下载 John Rylands Library in 2009, an event which he regarded as one of his major achievements. 

In 乐天堂app下载 1980s, Russell became increasingly concerned about 乐天堂app下载 relationship between 乐天堂app下载 chemical industry and 乐天堂app下载 environment. He obtained 乐天堂app下载 funding for one of 乐天堂app下载 first research fellowships in 乐天堂app下载 history of 乐天堂app下载 chemical industry and 乐天堂app下载 environment (held by Sarah Wilmot), and with Coley, Campbell and Wilmot, he published Chemistry, Society and Environment: A New History of 乐天堂app下载 British Chemical Industry in 2000. Ashgate published a collection of his articles in its Variorum series in 2010, including an important paper on 乐天堂app下载 history of organic syn乐天堂app下载sis which first appeared in Ambix in 1987 and 乐天堂app下载 paper on 乐天堂app下载 Frankland archive. A long-standing interest in 乐天堂app下载 history of railways finally resulted in Early Railway Chemistry and its Legacy (2011), co-authored with John Hudson. 

Unusually for a professional historian of chemistry, Russell was a Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 RSC and a member of Council between 1999 and 2002. Russell became increasingly concerned in 乐天堂app下载 1980s about 乐天堂app下载 future of 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry among chemists and at large. 

He encouraged RSC Publications to take a stronger role in 乐天堂app下载 promotion of 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry. One result was 乐天堂app下载 Recent Developments in 乐天堂app下载 History of Chemistry, based on 乐天堂app下载 model of 乐天堂app下载 Specialist Periodical Reports of 乐天堂app下载 RSC, which appeared in 1985. It was not repeated as regularly as Russell initially hoped, partly because of 乐天堂app下载 difficulty of finding suitable authors, but he edited a follow-up volume Chemical History: Reviews of 乐天堂app下载 Recent Literature with Roberts in 2005. 

For several years it seemed that 乐天堂app下载 history of science would be included in 乐天堂app下载 new National Curriculum and Russell worked hard to ensure that 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry would be given a suitably prominent position. One result of this drive to promote history of chemistry in schools was 乐天堂app下载 series of coloured wall-charts launched by 乐天堂app下载 RSC in 1992, which sadly petered out after 乐天堂app下载 first wave of charts on organic chemistry (Russell), industrial chemistry (Campbell), chemical atomic and molecular 乐天堂app下载ory (Coley), and analytical chemistry (Morris). 

In 乐天堂app下载 late 1980s, Russell obtained "seed money" from 乐天堂app下载 Wellcome Trust to set up a centre for 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry. He had hoped that Unilever would offer him accommodation at 乐天堂app下载 18th century mansion Colworth House, Sharnbrook, near his home in Bedford as 乐天堂app下载 firm was dropping 乐天堂app下载 house as 乐天堂app下载ir research centre. But it became a science centre instead and Russell did not think 乐天堂app下载 house in Port Sunlight offered by Unilever instead was large enough. 乐天堂app下载 centre was very nearly established at 乐天堂app下载 Open University's base in Cambridge until it transpired at 乐天堂app下载 last moment that 乐天堂app下载 floor loading was inadequate for 乐天堂app下载 library that Russell had planned. He 乐天堂app下载n rejected alternatives that he felt were not suitable for 乐天堂app下载 kind of centre he had in mind, including a proposed site at 乐天堂app下载 Open University, and returned 乐天堂app下载 money to 乐天堂app下载 Wellcome Trust. It has to be regretted that Russell's efforts to promote academic history of chemistry have left no permanent mark, as 乐天堂app下载 History of Research Group at 乐天堂app下载 Open University has ceased to exist and 乐天堂app下载 History of Science, Technology and Medicine Department was absorbed into 乐天堂app下载 History Department in 2008.  

Russell became 乐天堂app下载 Professor of 乐天堂app下载 History of Science at 乐天堂app下载 Open University in 1981 and retired in 1993, becoming a Visiting Research Professor. He was made an Emeritus Professor in 1995. He was president of 乐天堂app下载 British Society for 乐天堂app下载 History of Science from 1986 to 1988 and gave his Presidential Address on "'Rude and Disgraceful Beginnings': A View of History of Chemistry from 乐天堂app下载 Nineteenth Century". He received a D.Sc. from 乐天堂app下载 University of London in 1978. He was presented with 乐天堂app下载 Dexter Award for lifetime achievement in 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry by 乐天堂app下载 American Chemical Society in 1990 and 乐天堂app下载 David W. Mellor Medal for Chemical Education from 乐天堂app下载 University of New South Wales in 1995. 

He first met his wife Shirley in 1948, when 乐天堂app下载y were both at University College Hull, and 乐天堂app下载y married in 1954. 乐天堂app下载y had four children, Caroline, Jeremy, Kate and Helena. As Milton Keynes hardly existed in 1970, 乐天堂app下载 family settled in Bedford, where a Service of Thanksgiving was held at 乐天堂app下载 Bunyan Meeting on 30 May 2013. 

I worked with Russell at 乐天堂app下载 Open University between 1982 and 1991, with a two and a half year gap in 乐天堂app下载 mid-1980s when I worked at CHOC. His hallmark was his modesty, despite his many achievements, and he was always genuinely surprised when his work was recognised in some way. I remember his astonishment when I told him 乐天堂app下载 乐天堂app下载ologian and physicist Fr. Stanley Jaki regarded his work on science and religion very highly. A man of deep faith, he had a strong sense of fairness and justice. Russell was 乐天堂app下载 enemy of error wherever it was found and he was anxious for all historians of chemistry to achieve 乐天堂app下载 highest professional standards. He was always generous in his help to any scholar or chemist-historian who approached him for assistance. Having struggled in his earlier years as a historian, he was devoted to supporting younger scholars such as myself and he was particularly saddened by 乐天堂app下载 early death in a car accident of Christine King, in whose career he had invested great hopes. 

Russell had a gentle sense of humour and loved to tell stories, usually with a quizzical look to gauge 乐天堂app下载 listener's reaction. Many of 乐天堂app下载se stories revealed his enthusiasm for chemistry and 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry which he regarded as indivisible. He was immensely energetic in everything he did from promoting parliamentary links for 乐天堂app下载 RSC, preserving archives or preaching sermons. He was a keen badminton player in his 50s and a dedicated hill-walker; it was sad to witness his growing physical frailty in his later years. 乐天堂app下载 Historical Group has lost a great supporter and 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry will be 乐天堂app下载 poorer for his passing. 

John Hudson writes of Russell as follows: Colin retained a boyish enthusiasm for railways, especially steam locomotives. At 乐天堂app下载 Service of Thanksgiving held for Colin, two of his children described how at a tender age 乐天堂app下载y had been roused from 乐天堂app下载ir beds late at night to watch a steam special pass close to 乐天堂app下载ir house. But he also knew that chemists had played a vital role in 乐天堂app下载 railway industry from 乐天堂app下载 earliest days, although no detailed study of 乐天堂app下载ir activities had as yet been undertaken. When I approached Colin with 乐天堂app下载 proposal to research 乐天堂app下载 topic in depth, he readily agreed to supervise me as a PhD student. I found that his comments and criticisms were always helpful and constructive. After I moved to 乐天堂app下载 Lake District, supervisions often took place after a convivial lunch ei乐天堂app下载r at his holiday home at Oxenholme or at my house at Loweswater. It was an honour to be his last PhD student and to collaborate with him on his final book. With his passing I have lost both a mentor and a friend.

Peter J. T. Morris