Robert Whytlaw-Gray


Robert H. Whytlaw-Gray, FRS was an English chemist, born in London. He studied at the University of Glasgow and University College London and was Professor of Chemistry at the University of Leeds. He and William Ramsay isolated radon and studied its physical properties.

Biography

Robert Whytlaw-Gray was born in Hampstead on 14 June 1877, son of Robert James Gray and Mary Gilkieson Gemmell Whytlaw.
His early education was at St Paul’s School, where little science was taught. When he was about 12, Whytlaw-Gray set up a laboratory at home and taught himself chemistry. Six years later he heard a lecture by William Ramsay which so inspired him that he determined to go to University College London, to study under Ramsay. This he did, from 1896, so successfully that he won the Tufnell Scholarship in chemistry in 1898. The prize is awarded to “the best graduate, under the age of 24, progressing to the Research School” which presumably means Whytlaw-Gray gained a first degree, although there is no formal record of this.
In 1903 he joined Anschütz’s lab in Bonn, where he worked on the atomic weight of nitrogen; he was awarded a PhD in 1906. On his return to UCL Whytlaw-Gray was appointed to Ramsay’s staff, and made Assistant Professor in 1908. He worked on the physical properties of niton, resigning his post in 1914.
The following year he started as a temporary science master at Eton. Later Whytlaw-Gray was appointed a civilian chemical adviser to the Chemical Warfare Committee. He started work on aerosols and toxic smokes, assisted by J B Speakman. These researches were of great practical value in the war effort, and continued for many years. He was awarded the OBE in 1920, and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1928.
In 1923 he applied successfully for the Chair at Leeds, and started as Professor of Inorganic
Chemistry and Administrative Head of the Chemistry Department in October; he stayed for 22 years. The University conferred on him the title of Emeritus Professor and, in 1950, the degree Doctor of Science, honoris causa; he had continued work, post-retirement, in the meantime.

Family

Whytlaw-Gray married Doris Fortescue Carr at St Stephen Walbrook on 22 July 1911. They had two daughters: Philippa Mary, born in 1915, and Alianore Doris, born the following year.
Robert Whytlaw Whytlaw-Gray died 21 January 1958 at The Cottage Hospital, Welwyn Garden City. Doris died in 1961.