University of Birmingham Staff Papers: Papers of Professor Sir William Tilden

Letters written to Professor Sir William Tilden, Professor of Chemistry at Mason College, later the University of Birmingham, mostly relating to scientific research and publications and also including a letter confirming his knighthood. The collection also contains the autograph manuscript of Tilden's address to the Vesey Club in 1910, four scrapbooks of newscuttings, portrait photographs of William Tilden, a photograph album containing portraits of members of staff of Mason Science College, and medals. The collection provides information about Tilden's research, the reception of his publications, and his interest in current affairs, particularly relating to higher education and chemistry.

Sir William Augustus Tilden (1842-1926) was one of the first four professors to be appointed at Mason College, Birmingham, where he was Professor of Chemistry from 1880 until 1894. Prior to his appointment at Birmingham Tilden was a demonstrator at the Pharmaceutical Society (1863-1872), obtaining a BSc in chemistry (1868) and a DSc (1871) from the University of London, and then senior science master at Clifton College, Bristol. Tilden left Birmingham in 1894 to become Professor of Chemistry at the Royal College of Science, London, a position from which he retired in 1909. Tilden's research focussed on the terpenes and related compounds, and he is acknowledged as the inventor of synthetic rubber. Tilden was president of the Institute of Chemistry from 1891 to 1894 and president of the Chemical Society from 1903 to 1905. He was elected FRS in 1880 and was awarded the Davy medal in 1908. He was knighted in 1909. His publications include Introduction to Chemical Philosophy (1876); Practical Chemistry (1880); Hints on Teaching Chemistry (1895); A Manual of Chemistry (1896); Chemical Discovery and Invention in the Twentieth Century (1917); and Famous Chemists (1921).

Reference: Who was who 1921-1930

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 25 May 2018, from http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-38068

Open, access to all registered researchers.

Purchased at auction on 15 May 2002.

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