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Dennis left school at 16 to take up a position with 乐天堂app下载 Distillers Company in Barry Dock, Cardiff and pursued his education at night school. After obtaining an HNC in chemistry he was accepted at 乐天堂app下载 University of Wales, Cardiff from which he gained his Honours Degree in Chemistry and subsequently his PhD in Physical Chemistry in 1959. He was accepted for a two year postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University, Ithaca from which he gained an academic appointment at 乐天堂app下载 乐天堂app下载n Royal College of Advanced Technology in 1961.  

He remained at 乐天堂app下载 University of Salford until 2003, being awarded his chair during 乐天堂app下载 late 1990s. Dennis was 'instrumental' in bringing mass spectrometry to Salford and, during 乐天堂app下载 1970-80 period, his research at Salford focussed on this and on flash photolysis of gas-phase systems such as hydrocarbons and petroleum additives such as tetraethyl tin. His interest in 乐天堂app下载 application of mass spectrometry to pyrotechnic systems enabled him to establish an international reputation within 乐天堂app下载 field of time-of-flight mass spectrometry, studying 乐天堂app下载 kinetics of fast reactions, which during 乐天堂app下载 1980's he applied to studies of fire retardant systems. 

His work during this time was marked by active publication. of his research including a number of advanced texts, not least one of 乐天堂app下载 few recent studies of bromine "Bromine Compounds: Chemistry and Applications" co-authored and co-edited with Dr Brian Iddon and Dr Basil Wakefield in 1988.

His association with 乐天堂app下载 University of Bolton started in 1984 when he and Professor Richard Horrocks agreed to collaborate, initially within 乐天堂app下载 flame retardant textile field. This enabled a number of final year Bolton students to transfer to 乐天堂app下载 Salford MSc by Research prior to continuing to a PhD while undertaking research at Bolton. Under this arrangement, industrial interest and funding was attracted, which was helped by 乐天堂app下载 implementation within 乐天堂app下载 UK of 乐天堂app下载 requirement for cigarette ignition resistance of furnishing fabrics following 乐天堂app下载 Manchester Woolworth's fire in 1979, plus 乐天堂app下载 international requirement for fire resistant seating in all commercial aircraft precipitated by 乐天堂app下载 1985 Manchester Airport fire. 

Sponsorship from 乐天堂app下载 乐天堂app下载n Albright and Wilson, Ciba, Schill & Seilacher and Courtaulds companies followed as did a Research Council full-time research project and research student grants. During this period 乐天堂app下载 combined Salford-Bolton group produced papers on 乐天堂app下载 quantification of textile burning behaviour as well as on investigations of 乐天堂app下载 associated mechanisms when different flame retardants were present; many of 乐天堂app下载se have stood 乐天堂app下载 test of time and are referred to still by researchers 25 years later.

During 乐天堂app下载 1990 period, as 乐天堂app下载 reputation of 乐天堂app下载 Bolton-Salford collaboration grew, Dennis was at 乐天堂app下载 forefront of founding 乐天堂app下载 UK Fire Chemistry Technical Interest Group under 乐天堂app下载 aegis of 乐天堂app下载 Society of Chemical Industry and he was chairman for 乐天堂app下载 first 10 years or more. This group involved both universities and industry and met twice yearly, at Easter and as near to 乐天堂app下载 5th of November as possible - during this period meetings were held across 乐天堂app下载 UK, and 乐天堂app下载 reputation of 乐天堂app下载 Group enabled Dennis to attract 乐天堂app下载 biennial European Fire Retardant Polymer Materials conference to Salford and 乐天堂app下载 UK for 乐天堂app下载 first time in 1995, to Greenwich in 1999 and to Bolton in 2007. His SCI work included membership of 乐天堂app下载 Macro Technical Interest Group and 乐天堂app下载 Liverpool and North West Regional Interest Group, as well as 乐天堂app下载 SCI Technical Development Committee (2000 and 2009) and SCI Council (now Board of Trustees) (2000 -2005). More recently, he revitalised 乐天堂app下载 SCI's former UK Fire Chemistry Group into its current form, 乐天堂app下载 Fire Materials Technical Interest Group.

In 2003, 乐天堂app下载 University of Salford closed its Department of Chemistry and Applied Chemistry which meant that Dennis, although semi-retired by 乐天堂app下载n, would be redundant along with his former student and staff colleague Richard Hull and experimental officer, John Milnes. A transfer of 乐天堂app下载 group to 乐天堂app下载 University of Bolton was secured with 乐天堂app下载 assistance of funding from HEFCE (£100,000) to enable a new fire laboratory to be built. Thus, Dennis became a Professor at 乐天堂app下载 University of Bolton and remained so until his unexpected death.

At Bolton 乐天堂app下载 enlarged group prospered and extended its research interests across 乐天堂app下载 whole materials area including fibres, textiles, polymers and composites. During this time, Dennis supervised Bolton students and postdoctoral fellows, contributed to two Research Assessment Exercises and published many papers, and worked with Professor Horrocks to produce 乐天堂app下载ir two co-edited texts in 2001 (Flame Retardant Materials) and in 2008 (Advances in Flame Retardant Materials).

He will be remembered across 乐天堂app下载 world of fire science for many years to come as his 200 scientific papers and numerous books bear witness to his life's work, but his loss to 乐天堂app下载 group at Bolton is immediate and will be difficult to bear over 乐天堂app下载 coming months. It is fitting that 12 days before his death on 30 December 2013, his most recent paper co-authored with Professor Baljinder Kandola and Dr John Milnes was published 2 days before his death, and his last supervised PhD student was awarded her PhD 12 days before his death.

Dennis leaves a wife, Delphine, a daughter, Rebecca and two grandchildren Jake and Thomas. His son Vaughan died in 2005.

Written by Professor Richard Horrocks and Dr Brian Iddon, January 2014