Robert Hutton
Encyclopedia
Dr Robert Hutton, was Goldsmiths’ Professor in Metallurgy
at Cambridge University from 1931 to 1942 and known for his work with the Society for the Protection of Science and Learning
in assisting academics to flee the Nazi regime in Germany
.
in Tiverton. From school he went to Owens College
in Manchester
, followed by two years at the University of Leipzig
and one in Paris.
where he entered the family business. In 1921 he was invited to become director of the British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association
. The Association expanded and achieved a world-wide reputation under his guidance. He was one of the original members of the Institute of Metals
and a member of Council from 1909 to 1935.
Hutton became the first Goldsmiths’ Professor in Metallurgy
at Cambridge University in 1931. Although some of the pioneer work in metallography had been carried out by Heycock and Neville in the University Chemical Laboratory and formed part of the course in assaying chemistry, metallurgy was not included as a separate subject in the Natural Sciences Tripos
. The Goldsmiths’ Company
had generously provided funds for a small laboratory and endowed a chair, but it was Hutton who first persuaded the university to introduce metallurgy into Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos and later Part I.
Hutton was elected a Fellow
of Clare College
and became a member of the Court of the Goldsmiths’ Company in 1936.
Hutton’s activities were not confined to that directly concerned with his various appointments. He had two absorbing interest: technical education and libraries. His experience in the field of metallurgy led him to the conclusion that there was a sad delay between scientific advance and its application in industry, for which he blamed technical education, or rather lack of it. His practical interest was shown in the work which be did for the City and Guilds of London Institute
of which he was chairman in 1940. He was largely instrumental in starting the Association of Special Libraries and was its president from 1942-44.
In 1912 Hutton married, Sibyl, daughter of Sir Arthur Schuster
, F.R.S., by whom be had a son and a daughter.
and for 30 years never missed a meeting. For many years he was the honorary secretary and later honorary treasurer and was responsible for most of the work involved when the Society became a registered charity in 1959.
From 1933 Hutton went to Germany
several times to negotiate the release of scientists and scholars from Nazi persecution and he served on the Society’s allocation committee from 1939.
Incidentally, one of the founders of the Society, Professor A.V. Hill was a fellow Old Blundellian.
, Transactions of the Faraday Society
, and the Institute of Metals, contributing the Autumn Lecture to the Institute of Metals in 1922, on the “Science of Human Effort’.
Hutton took part in discussions on a number of papers of general metallurgical interest, and was an authority on refractories and furnace construction. He was one of those responsible for starting Research, a journal devoted to making scientific advance known to a wider public and to bridging the gap between pure science and its application to industry. He was secretary to the scientific advisory board of the journal.
Goldsmiths' Professor of Materials Science
The Goldsmiths' Professorship of Materials Science is a professorship in the University of Cambridge, associated with the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy....
at Cambridge University from 1931 to 1942 and known for his work with the Society for the Protection of Science and Learning
Council for Assisting Refugee Academics
The Council for Assisting Refugee Academics is a British charitable organization dedicated to assisting academics who, for reasons including persecution and conflict, are unable to continue their research in their countries of origin...
in assisting academics to flee the Nazi regime in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Early life
Robert Salmon Hutton was the son of J.B Hutton, a member of an old, well-known firm of silver table-ware manufacturers in Sheffield. Hutton spent his early life in London apart from the time he was at Blundell's SchoolBlundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
in Tiverton. From school he went to Owens College
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, followed by two years at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
and one in Paris.
Career
Hutton was appointed lecturer in electro-metallurgy at Manchester University in 1900, but in 1908 moved to SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
where he entered the family business. In 1921 he was invited to become director of the British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association
British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association
The British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association was a research group in the United Kingdom during the 20th century, bringing together public and privately funded research into metallurgy. The name was abbreviated officially to B.N.F.M.R.A. but the organisation was normally known as ‘The BNF’...
. The Association expanded and achieved a world-wide reputation under his guidance. He was one of the original members of the Institute of Metals
Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining
The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining is a major UK engineering institution whose activities encompass the whole materials cycle, from exploration and extraction, through characterisation, processing, forming, finishing and application, to product recycling and land reuse...
and a member of Council from 1909 to 1935.
Hutton became the first Goldsmiths’ Professor in Metallurgy
Goldsmiths' Professor of Materials Science
The Goldsmiths' Professorship of Materials Science is a professorship in the University of Cambridge, associated with the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy....
at Cambridge University in 1931. Although some of the pioneer work in metallography had been carried out by Heycock and Neville in the University Chemical Laboratory and formed part of the course in assaying chemistry, metallurgy was not included as a separate subject in the Natural Sciences Tripos
Tripos
The University of Cambridge, England, divides the different kinds of honours bachelor's degree by Tripos , plural Triposes. The word has an obscure etymology, but may be traced to the three-legged stool candidates once used to sit on when taking oral examinations...
. The Goldsmiths’ Company
Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths
The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Company, which has origins in the twelfth century, received a Royal Charter in 1327. It ranks fifth in the order of precedence of Livery Companies. Its motto is Justitia Virtutum Regina, Latin for Justice...
had generously provided funds for a small laboratory and endowed a chair, but it was Hutton who first persuaded the university to introduce metallurgy into Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos and later Part I.
Hutton was elected a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of Clare College
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
and became a member of the Court of the Goldsmiths’ Company in 1936.
Hutton’s activities were not confined to that directly concerned with his various appointments. He had two absorbing interest: technical education and libraries. His experience in the field of metallurgy led him to the conclusion that there was a sad delay between scientific advance and its application in industry, for which he blamed technical education, or rather lack of it. His practical interest was shown in the work which be did for the 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...
of which he was chairman in 1940. He was largely instrumental in starting the Association of Special Libraries and was its president from 1942-44.
In 1912 Hutton married, Sibyl, daughter of Sir Arthur Schuster
Arthur Schuster
Sir Franz Arthur Friedrich Schuster FRS was a German-born British physicist known for his work in spectroscopy, electrochemistry, optics, X-radiography and the application of harmonic analysis to physics...
, F.R.S., by whom be had a son and a daughter.
Society for the Protection of Science and Learning
Hutton was on the committee of the Society from the date of its move to Cambridge at the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and for 30 years never missed a meeting. For many years he was the honorary secretary and later honorary treasurer and was responsible for most of the work involved when the Society became a registered charity in 1959.
From 1933 Hutton went to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
several times to negotiate the release of scientists and scholars from Nazi persecution and he served on the Society’s allocation committee from 1939.
Incidentally, one of the founders of the Society, Professor A.V. Hill was a fellow Old Blundellian.
Research and publications
Hutton published work in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal SocietyPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society of London. It was established in 1665, making it the first journal in the world exclusively devoted to science, and it has remained in continuous publication ever since, making it the world's...
, Transactions of the Faraday Society
Faraday Transactions
Journal of the Chemical Society, Faraday Transactions was a peer-reviewed scientific journal published from 1905 until 1998. The journal was originally published by the Faraday Society under the name Transactions of the Faraday Society.-History:...
, and the Institute of Metals, contributing the Autumn Lecture to the Institute of Metals in 1922, on the “Science of Human Effort’.
Hutton took part in discussions on a number of papers of general metallurgical interest, and was an authority on refractories and furnace construction. He was one of those responsible for starting Research, a journal devoted to making scientific advance known to a wider public and to bridging the gap between pure science and its application to industry. He was secretary to the scientific advisory board of the journal.
Sources
- Obituary of Dr R. S. Hutton, The Times, 7 August, 1970 (pg. 8; Issue 57938; col E)
- Letter from Professor W. FeldbergWilhelm FeldbergWilhelm Siegmund Feldberg CBE FRS was a German-British-Jewish physiologist and biologist.- Biography :...
, The Times, 18 August, 1970 (pg. 8; Issue 57947; col F)