RSC presents Chemical Landmark Award
The Royal Society of Chemistry, the UK Professional Body for chemical scientists, honoured the work of research scientist Charles Suckling and his team by awarding a Chemical Landmark Plaque to Catalyst Science Discovery Centre at a presentation ceremony on Saturday 22ndOctober.
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Catalyst Science Discovery Centre
The work of Charles Suckling and his team was honoured at a Chemical Landmark ceremony at Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in Widnes, on Saturday 22 October 2011.
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Posted in RSC Press Release
“A proud tradition of scientific excellence remains at the heart of our research and development today”
Unilever’s Port Sunlight R&D laboratory in the UK has been honoured by the world-renowned Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) for its 100-year contribution to science.
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Prof Edward D Hughes and Bangor University
Bangor, North Wales Oct 23, 2009
An application for the Chemical Landmark was made by the North Wales Local Section. The application was for major contribution to the development of kinetics and mechanisms in organic chemistry by Prof Ted Hughes and for Bangor University and Chemistry celebrating its 125 years anniversary. The support and information from staff in Chemistry at Bangor was much appreciated.
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As part of the 125 year celebrations of chemistry at Bangor University and following the prestigious lecture by Sir John Meurig Thomas, Vice Chancellor, Professor Merfyn Jones, received a RSC chemical landmark plaque on behalf of the School of Chemistry from Professor David Phillips, RSC President-Elect. The award is in recognition of the major contribution to the development of kinetics and mechanisms in organic chemistry by Prof Edward (Ted) D Hughes and the continuous 125 years of chemistry at Bangor, now one of the oldest schools of chemistry in the UK. Dr Malcolm Jones, Bangor Council member, gave a talk about the achievements of Ted Hughes to a packed audience of invited guests, staff and students past and present.
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AstraZeneca, Alderley Park
Alderley Park, the Cheshire research and development centre of AstraZeneca, was awarded Chemical Landmark status by the RSC during an inaugural meeting for 200 cancer specialists in AstraZeneca’s new conference facilities on Monday, 22 September 2008.
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A Celebration of the 75thAnniversary of Polyethylene
Following the event held at the Science Museum London in March (see NW Chemistry News, September 2008, page 11), the Plastics Historical Society and the British Plastics Federation held their own meeting at the Royal Society London on 24thOctober 2008, to celebrate the discovery.
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Alderley Park, the Cheshire research and development centre of AstraZeneca, was awarded Chemical Landmark status by the RSC during an inaugural meeting for 200 cancer specialists in AstraZeneca’s new conference facilities on Monday, 22 September 2008.
Posted in RSC Press Release
A one-day meeting to mark the 75 years of scientific and technological development since the discovery of polyethylene was held at the Science Museum London on the 27the March 2008. This was exactly 75 years to the day that the polymer was discovered by Reginald Gibson and Eric Fawcett in the Winnington Laboratories of ICI Alkali Division near Northwich, Cheshire. (see NW Chemistry News, March 2005. p6).
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John Dalton Cottage, Eaglesfield, Cumbria
On 7 June 2007, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) honoured John Dalton, Cumbrian scientist and Quaker who revolutionised Chemistry through his Atomic Theory. Professor Paul O’Brien, Head of School of Chemistry the University of Manchester and RSC Council member presented the RSC Chemical Landmark plaque to Professor Michael Lappert, Fellow of the RSC and owner of John Dalton Cottage in Eaglesfield near Cockermouth, Cumbria. Professor Lappert gave a talk about John Dalton’s early life and regular visits to his beloved Lakeland and his scientific discoveries mostly recorded in Manchester. About fifty guests attended the ceremony including representatives from the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, Cumbria Local History Federation, Cockermouth Civic Trust, Kirkgate Museum Group, Keswick Museum, Kendal Library, Portico Library, Manchester, RSC representatives and residents of Eaglesfield. The guests were kindly shown round the cottage by Professor Lappert and his wife Lorna.
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Hexagon House, Blackeley
Dr Ilesh Bidd and Dr Richard Pike look on as Brian Lorenzini unveils the Hexagon Site Landmark Plaque
On 31 July 2006, Chief Executive Richard Pike presided over his first Chemical Landmark ceremony when the RSC awarded Hexagon Site (formerly Avecia) landmark status to commemorate over two hundred years of dyestuffs production and development at the Blackley Site, in north Manchester.
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Posted in RSC Press Release
The discovery of polythene by RO Gibson and E W Fawcett at ICI’s Winnington Research Laboratories in March 1933 was commemorated at an RSC Historic Chemical Landmark Ceremony held on Thursday 4th November 2004 at Winnington Hall, Northwich, Cheshire.
Professor Tony Ledwith, past RSC President, hosted the event, attended by the Mayor of Vale Royal and her consort, together with around 35 guests. They included members of the Manchester local section, ex ICI employees and representatives of the Northwich Heritage Society. Special guests included 94 year old Frank Bebbington, who was working in the laboratories when polythene was discovered, 82 year old Leslie Seed and 88 year old Cliff Salt, both of whom worked in the early development of the new polymer.
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Winnington Hall, Northwich, Cheshire
ICI scientists, Reginald Gibson and Eric Fawcett, set up an experiment on Friday, 24 March1933 in which a mixture of ethylene and benzaldehyde was heated to 170 degrees centigrade using apparatus devised by Dutch physicist, Anton Michels, which could submit materials to a pressure of 1,700 atm. A waxy solid was found in the reaction tube on the following Monday, 27 March which was later identified as a polymer of ethylene. Due to the unpredictability of the reaction, this experiment was not successfully repeated until 1937 when Michael Perrin used improved equipment to carry out reproducible polymerisation. In 1937 a 10 ton/year pilot plant was opened followed by a 100ton/year which started on the first day of WW2. Its first use was as lightweight compact insulators in air and ship borne radar that enabled Britain to win the Battle of the Atlantic. Today its main use is disposable packaging and in a multitude of plastic goods.
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Plaques Progressed
The Bi-centennial Festival to celebrate John Dalton‘s historic paper to the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society (ML&PS) provided an excellent focus to erect some heritage plaques in Manchester. Continue reading
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