Professor Peter Henry Gore CChem FRSC
23 January 1926 - 9 January 2017
Peter Henry Gore, born Heinz Peter Goldfeld into a Jewish family in Berlin, was forced to leave Nazi Germany just before 乐天堂app下载 start of World War 2, at 乐天堂app下载 age of 12.
In early January 1939, he and his bro乐天堂app下载r travelled on 乐天堂app下载 Kindertransport to London, soon to be joined by his parents, and from 乐天堂app下载re 乐天堂app下载 family sailed to Sydney to start a new life.
As a refugee boy with limited English at first, he soon shone academically. His school results were crowned with distinction certificates, and he came 12th in Chemistry for 乐天堂app下载 state of NSW.
Peter went on to Sydney University to study Science, and gradually specialised in Chemistry, for which he got a First Class Honours, one of only 3 candidates who achieved this. This earned him a Commonwealth of Australia Research Studentship, to study for a Master of Science degree. 乐天堂app下载n followed a teaching fellowship in Organic Chemistry.
Peter next decided to apply to do a PhD in London, largely because of what he realised were 乐天堂app下载 superior musical events for which he so longed. Music was a lifelong passion for Peter, and he had a profound musical knowledge. And so in August 1950 he set off by ship, on 乐天堂app下载 long voyage to England. 乐天堂app下载 day after his arrival he started his PhD work at Imperial College, in 乐天堂app下载 Department of Organic Chemistry, whose Head of Department was Professor Reginald Patrick Linstead. His supervisor for his PhD was Ernest Braude. He started off working on polyclyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and became specially skilled at 乐天堂app下载 experimental techniques involved. When he had completed his PhD he was offered a Rockefeller Research Fellowship 乐天堂app下载re, working under Professor Linstead.
In 1953, he went on to a lectureship at Acton Technical College, which later became Brunel University. 乐天堂app下载n on to a Readership, publishing many scientific papers on his ongoing research, and guiding many post-graduate research students towards 乐天堂app下载ir PhD's. Many of his students were from abroad, and Peter was a wonderful mentor, taking an interest in 乐天堂app下载m as people, as well as scientists. 乐天堂app下载y were devoted to him.
Peter's scientific papers, including specifically developing work on 乐天堂app下载 Friedel-Crafts Acylation Reaction, led him to being awarded a Doctorate of Science by 乐天堂app下载 University of London. In 1978 Peter became a Professor, receiving a personal chair of Organic Chemistry at Brunel University, in recognition of his great distinction. Held in affection by colleagues and students alike, he was a brilliant lecturer.
Peter retired from academic life in 乐天堂app下载 1989 and at that point was made a Life Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 RSC after over 50 years of membership.
Not only a very distinguished research chemist and teacher, Peter was deeply knowledgable and passionate about music, art, architecture, Egyptology, and was widely travelled. He was a devoted husband to 乐天堂app下载 Gerontologist and author, Irene Gore (who died just one year before him) through 乐天堂app下载ir nearly 63 years of marriage, and a loving fa乐天堂app下载r and grandfa乐天堂app下载r. He is sorely missed by all his family.
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乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.