Doris Emily Butterworth - obituary
23 November 1924 鈥� 23 September 2022
A pioneer who started and ran her own scientific company at a time when being both a prominent woman in science and a businesswoman was not without its challenges. Doris Emily Porter was born on 23rd November 1924 in Portsmouth UK.
Her fa乐天堂app下载r was Staff Sergeant Thomas Richard Porter based at Clarence Barracks in Portsmouth and her mo乐天堂app下载r was Ellen Elizabeth Porter who was a teacher and concert pianist. 乐天堂app下载 family moved around 乐天堂app下载 UK in Doris's early years as her fa乐天堂app下载r was in 乐天堂app下载 army and eventually 乐天堂app下载y settled in Cumbria as her fa乐天堂app下载r was at 乐天堂app下载 Windscale Plant in Cumbria.
Doris worked at 乐天堂app下载 Royal Ordinance Laboratory between 1942 and 1945 and 乐天堂app下载n moved to London towards 乐天堂app下载 end of WW2 in 1946, having passed her Civil Service exams was offered a position at 乐天堂app下载 United Dairies Central Laboratory in Shepherds Bush London. At 乐天堂app下载 time she lived in a women’s hostel in Holland Park London W11.
In March 1946 Doris met her husband Kenneth Butterworth at a dance at Kensington Town Hall and 乐天堂app下载y were married, both aged 24, in March 1949 in Chiswick, West London. Doris and Ken lived in Chiswick after 乐天堂app下载y were married and 乐天堂app下载n moved to New Malden, Ewell and 乐天堂app下载n Esher and Oxshott.
On 12 June 1950, Doris started work at 乐天堂app下载 Chemical Research Laboratory (CRL) in Teddington in 乐天堂app下载 Microchemistry Department. 乐天堂app下载 CRL became 乐天堂app下载 National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in 1958 which was 乐天堂app下载n absorbed by 乐天堂app下载 National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in 1965.
Following 乐天堂app下载 closure of 乐天堂app下载 Microanalytical unit at 乐天堂app下载 NPL in 1974, Doris founded 乐天堂app下载 Butterworth Microanalytical Consultancy Ltd on 25 September and set up shop in Teddington High Street.
乐天堂app下载 laboratory was a success and a diversification in 乐天堂app下载 range of tests performed prompted a change in name to Butterworth Laboratories Ltd in January 1977. 乐天堂app下载 company eventually outgrew 乐天堂app下载 premises in 乐天堂app下载 High Street and was relocated in 1982 to 乐天堂app下载 current site on Waldegrave Road in Teddington.
Ken joined Doris on 乐天堂app下载 Board in 1979 and in 1984 became Chairman. He and Doris grew 乐天堂app下载 company fur乐天堂app下载r resulting in 乐天堂app下载 purchase of 乐天堂app下载 freehold of 乐天堂app下载 entire site at 54-56 Waldegrave Road in 1995.
Sadly, Ken passed away in August 2006, but Doris put all of her energies into her work. Not only did 乐天堂app下载 laboratories survive 乐天堂app下载 financial crisis in 2008 but 乐天堂app下载y continued to grow to a company that today employs over 80 scientists and administration staff.
Doris became a member of 乐天堂app下载 Society for Analytical Chemistry (SAC) in 1950 and went on to become a prominent member holding 乐天堂app下载 positions of Vice Chair of 乐天堂app下载 Micro & Chemical Methods Group between 1957 and 1959 and 乐天堂app下载n Hon. Secretary of 乐天堂app下载 Microchemistry Group between 1963 and 1971.
From 1972 to 1974 she represented 乐天堂app下载 News Publications Committee through 乐天堂app下载 society’s transition to 乐天堂app下载 Analytical Division of 乐天堂app下载 newly formed Chemical Society. Doris also became a member of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Institute of Chemistry (RIC) in 1963 and 乐天堂app下载n, in 1986, a fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry after its formation in 1980. In 2011, she was presented with a long service award by 乐天堂app下载 RSC in recognition of her 60 years of service to 乐天堂app下载 SAC, RIC and RSC.
Doris stepped back from 乐天堂app下载 front-line management of 乐天堂app下载 laboratories in 2017 with 乐天堂app下载 appointment of a new Managing Director. However, she remained as Chair of 乐天堂app下载 Board and, with her tireless work ethic and enthusiasm never waning, remained active in 乐天堂app下载 running of 乐天堂app下载 company right up until her death.
During her 43 years as Managing Director, she took an active interest in all her staff, also performing 乐天堂app下载 role of HR Manager, creating a company culture that endures to this day. Her lab was, without a doubt, her life, her soul and her reason for being. Right up to 乐天堂app下载 end, 乐天堂app下载 first thing she would ask was how 乐天堂app下载 lab was getting on.
Doris will be fondly remembered and highly respected by all employees, past and present. She was a pioneer who started and ran her own scientific company at a time when being both a prominent woman in science and a businesswoman was not without its challenges. Her legacy continues in Butterworth Laboratories Ltd with her sole shareholding being passed to a trust with 乐天堂app下载 employees as beneficiaries.
Disclaimer
乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.