Papers of Professor Charles Geddes Coull Chesters, 1904-1993, science graduate, University of Glasgow, Scotland

BSc thesis 1926

Charles Geddes Coull Chesters was born in Glasgow on the 9 March 1904  . His father Charles was a commercial traveller. After studying at Hyndland School in Glasgow, Charles Geddes Coull Chesters matriculated at the University of Glasgow in 1922  , at the age of eighteen. He graduated with a BSc honours in Botany in 1926  , receiving a first class degree. During his time at University he took classes in Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology and Geology. He was awarded a credible mention in the 1923 Botany prize list, a second class certificate in Zoology in 1923, a second class certificate in Geology in1923-1924, and in 1925 he won the Herbarium Prize for a herbarium comprising 600 specimens. The thesis he submitted for his honours BSc degree was entitled Stratiotes Aloides: Studies in the Laboratory and the Field .

At Birmingham University he studied for an MSc and PhD, which was awarded in 1937. He also worked as an Assistant Lecturer in Botany in 1927, and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1937. During the war he was appointed Chief Air Raid Warden for the University of Birmingham and became a part-time constable, for which he was later awarded commendations for Air Raid Incidents and the Police Long Service Medal. He was promoted to a Readership in Mycology in 1942 at the University of Birmingham. In 1944 he took up residence in University College Nottingham as Professor of Botany and Head of Department of Botany. He held this post until his retirement in 1969 and was an important, and well respected member of staff.

Chesters was also active in the British Association for the Advancement of Science and a Founder Fellow of the Institute of Biology. He was also a Fellow of the Linnean Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He was awarded an OBE in 1977  for sevices to education. He died on 13 February 1993  . A commemorative bust can be found in the Biology Building at Nottingham University.

Source: http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/fellowship/obits/obits_alpha/chesters_charles.pdf

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Gift: Charles Geddes Coull Chesters : 1987 : ACCN unknown (prior to formal accessioning procedures within GUAS)

Digital file list available in the searchroom

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GB 0248 DC/2/15/42/1-11, Frederick Orpen Bower correspondence with Charles G C Chesters; as well as GB 0248 UGC 135, Records of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Glasgow, 1928 and 1958.

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Description compiled in line with the following international standards: International Council on Archives,ISAD(G) Second Edition, September 1999 and National Council on Archives,Rules for the construction of personal, place and corporate names

Scotland is the location of all place names in the administrative/biographical history element, unless otherwise stated.

Fonds level description compiled by Sarah Beckinsale, Archive Assistant, 03 April 2007.

Amendments made by Vikki Laidlaw, May 2007; Emma Yan, Assistant Archivist (Cataloguing), 05 March 2008