Arthur Lapworth
Encyclopedia
Arthur Lapworth was a Scottish chemist
.
He was born in Galashiels
, Scotland, the son of geologist Charles Lapworth
and educated at St Andrew's and King Edward's School, Birmingham
. He graduated in Chemistry from Mason College (later Birmingham University). From 1893 to 1895 he worked on a scholarship at City and Guilds of London Institute
on the chemistry of camphor and the
mechanism of aromatic substitution.
His first post (in 1895) was as a Demonstrator in the School of Pharmacy, University of London in Bloomsbury. From there he went to the Goldsmiths Institute as head of the Chemistry Department and in 1909 became Senior Lecturer in Inorganic and Physical chemistry at the University of Manchester
. In 1913 he was appointed Professor of Organic Chemistry and in 1922 the Sir Samuel Hall professor (of inorganic and physical chemistry) and Director of Laboratories.
He was a pioneer of the field of physical organic chemistry
. The Lapworth reaction is named after him.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in May 1910, and was awarded their Davy Medal
in 1931.
He retired in 1935 and died in Manchester. He had married in 1900 Kathleen Holland, one of three sisters. Both his brothers-in-law were eminent scientists themselves (Frederick Stanley Kipping
and William Henry Perkin, Jr.
)
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
.
He was born in Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...
, Scotland, the son of geologist Charles Lapworth
Charles Lapworth
Charles Lapworth was an English geologist.-Biography:He was born at Faringdon in Berkshire and educated as a teacher at the Culham Diocesan Training College near Abingdon, Oxfordshire. He moved to the Scottish border region, where he investigated the previously little-known fossil fauna of the area...
and educated at St Andrew's and King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School is an independent secondary school in Birmingham, England, founded by King Edward VI in 1552. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, and is widely regarded as one of the most academically successful schools in the country, according to...
. He graduated in Chemistry from Mason College (later Birmingham University). From 1893 to 1895 he worked on a scholarship at City and Guilds of London Institute
City and Guilds of London Institute
The City and Guilds of London Institute is a leading United Kingdom vocational education organisation. City & Guilds offers more than 500 qualifications over the whole range of industry sectors through 8500 colleges and training providers in 81 countries worldwide...
on the chemistry of camphor and the
mechanism of aromatic substitution.
His first post (in 1895) was as a Demonstrator in the School of Pharmacy, University of London in Bloomsbury. From there he went to the Goldsmiths Institute as head of the Chemistry Department and in 1909 became Senior Lecturer in Inorganic and Physical chemistry at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. In 1913 he was appointed Professor of Organic Chemistry and in 1922 the Sir Samuel Hall professor (of inorganic and physical chemistry) and Director of Laboratories.
He was a pioneer of the field of physical organic chemistry
Physical organic chemistry
Physical organic chemistry is the study of the interrelationships between structure and reactivity in organic molecules. It can be seen as the study of organic chemistry using tools of physical chemistry such as chemical equilibrium, chemical kinetics, thermochemistry, and quantum chemistry...
. The Lapworth reaction is named after him.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in May 1910, and was awarded their Davy Medal
Davy Medal
The Davy Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of London "for an outstandingly important recent discovery in any branch of chemistry". Named after Humphry Davy, the medal is awarded with a gift of £1000. The medal was first awarded in 1877 to Robert Wilhelm Bunsen and Gustav Robert Kirchhoff "for...
in 1931.
He retired in 1935 and died in Manchester. He had married in 1900 Kathleen Holland, one of three sisters. Both his brothers-in-law were eminent scientists themselves (Frederick Stanley Kipping
Frederick Kipping
Professor Frederick Stanley Kipping FRS was an English chemist.He was born in Manchester, England, the son of James Kipping, a Bank of England official, and educated at Manchester Grammar School before enrolling in 1879 at Owens College for an external degree from the University of London...
and William Henry Perkin, Jr.
William Henry Perkin, Jr.
William Henry Perkin, Jr. was an English organic chemist who was primarily known for his groundbreaking research work on the degradation of naturally occurring organic compounds.-Early life:...
)
External links
- Entry for Arthur Lapworth in the Biographical Database of the British Chemical Community, 1880-1970
- Named Chemical Reactions (.pdf format)