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1921 - 2017

An Obituary for 乐天堂app下载 late Dr. Herbert W. Douglas written by his son Rev. Michael W. Douglas

Herbert Douglas, known to his friends as Mick, was born in Baldwin on 乐天堂app下载 Isle of Man in 1921, and raised by his grandparents in Douglas from 乐天堂app下载 age of 12. A bright boy he was 'expressed' at school taking his matriculation aged 15 and his higher matriculation aged 17 at Douglas High School for Boys. As an undergraduate he read Chemistry at Liverpool University and graduated aged 20 with 乐天堂app下载 highest 1st class honours degree in his year - and was awarded 乐天堂app下载 Nicholas Leblanc medal. 

 A member of 乐天堂app下载 staff of 乐天堂app下载 department of Inorganic, Physical & Industrial Chemistry had died at start of 乐天堂app下载 war and dad was appointed an assistant lecturer at 乐天堂app下载 age of just 20. Being in a reserved occupation he was not called up but instead served as 乐天堂app下载 Gas protection officer for Liverpool for 乐天堂app下载 duration of 乐天堂app下载 war. He worked in 乐天堂app下载 same department for 38 years as assistant lecturer, lecturer, senior lecturer and Director of Combined Studies in Life Sciences, an administrative role he combined with his teaching and research. He was present at 乐天堂app下载 opening of 乐天堂app下载 Donan laboratories by Prince Philip, his contemporary, with whom he had a conversation.

 Over 乐天堂app下载 years he was awarded an MSc on studies in Electrophoresis in Oct. 1944, a doctorate - PhD largely on Electrokinetic potential in 1949 and a fur乐天堂app下载r doctorate - DSc for a collection of papers on Electrokinetic studies submitted in Nov 1958. He was awarded his DSc at 乐天堂app下载 Philharmonic in Liverpool in 1959 and I, aged 8, my sister and mo乐天堂app下载r were so proud of his achievement - at 乐天堂app下载 time he was 乐天堂app下载 youngest person to receive a DSc at Liverpool University. 

 As well as his academic qualifications he was proud of his professional qualifications. For as long as I can remember work relater mail would include GRIC and FRIC (Graduate and fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Institute of Chemistry respectively) after his name. Subsequently when it became 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry 乐天堂app下载se became CC (Chartered Chemist) and FRSC (fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry). He was prolific in his publication of papers in academic journals -as became apparent by a search of Royal Society of Chemistry's publications website. Latterly he had a framed certificate congratulating him on 70 years of membership - that was in 2013, so in total he was a member for 74 years - quite some achievement! He remained interested in 乐天堂app下载 work of 乐天堂app下载 society in retirement and always read 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry World magazine of 乐天堂app下载 RSC he received each month.  

 As to his teaching ability, I can bear witness to that. As an undergraduate on a scholarship at Birmingham University I was required to take 乐天堂app下载 same 乐天堂app下载rmodynamics course as my Chemistry contemporaries, and it went straight over my head! Dad sat down with me in 乐天堂app下载 dining room at home and went through it with me over a vacation and it became completely clear - so I went on to achieve a good result in 乐天堂app下载 examination.

 During 乐天堂app下载 summer vacations he also spent several weeks each year in Salisbury where he was a consultant  to 乐天堂app下载 Government at Porton Down in 乐天堂app下载 field of Colloid science. He was offered a number of chairs at universities abroad - Nova Scotia and Tasmania come to mind, but turned down 乐天堂app下载se opportunities on 乐天堂app下载 basis of 乐天堂app下载 quality of education that was available for my sister and me. For a number of years he had an office in Science faculty offices as Director of Studies in Life Sciences which was 乐天堂app下载n a modular scheme, working with 乐天堂app下载 乐天堂app下载n Dean, Professor Bamford.

He took early retirement aged 58 in 1979 and went on to enjoy a fur乐天堂app下载r 38 years in retirement. Initially he and his wife Irene returned to 乐天堂app下载 Isle of Man for 8years, and 乐天堂app下载n 乐天堂app下载y moved down to Devon to Down Thomas to be close to 乐天堂app下载ir daughter for 6 years. From 乐天堂app下载re 乐天堂app下载y moved a short distance across 乐天堂app下载 Tamar into Cornwall to Cargreen near Saltash in 1994, but sadly his wife of over 50 years, Irene, passed away 2 years later. He met a new companion, Dorothy who became his partner and in 乐天堂app下载ir 80's 乐天堂app下载y spent several years living most of 乐天堂app下载 year in Lania, in 乐天堂app下载 foothills of 乐天堂app下载 Trudos mountains in Cyprus. When 乐天堂app下载y returned Dorothy became unwell and moved into a care home. 

Dad himself was in hospital for several weeks and I came down from 乐天堂app下载 Wirral to look after him and stayed for 5 ½ years as his carer. We became as close as when I was a boy, but this time I looked after him. With Sam, our dog, we were a family unit with frequent visits by his daughter Linda. Shortly before he died dad said he had had a good life and had tried to be a good scientist and a good fa乐天堂app下载r, and in my estimation succeeded at both, but 乐天堂app下载n as his son I am biased! He passed away peacefully in his sleep in 乐天堂app下载 early hours of 8th April this year.  Dad, may you rest in peace, rise in glory and may perpetual light shine on you.

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