Papers of John Monteath Robertson, 1900-1989, chemist, Professor of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1942-1970

• Correspondence 1947-1970
• Laboratory books (many undated) 1925-1948
• Published works 1926-1970

John Monteath Robertson was born on 24 July 1900  , son of William Robertson and Jane Monteath. In 1930 he married Stella Kennard Nairn. They had two sons and one daughter.

John Monteath Robertson was educated at Perth Academy. He went on to study at the University of Glasgow , graduating BSc in 1923, MA in 1925, PhD in 1926  , and DSc in 1933  . In 1930 he became a member of staff in the Davy Faraday Laboratory of the Royal Institution. In 1939 he became a senior lecturer in Physical Chemistry at the University of Sheffield. In 1941 he became the Scientific Chemical Advisor to Bomber Command.

In the following year he was appointed the Gardiner Professor of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow, a post he held until 1970  . In the same year he was made the Honorary Scientific Advisor to the RAF In 1955 he became the Director of Laboratories at Glasgow. Robertson was the George Fisher Baker Lecturer at Cornell University, America in 1951. In 1958 he was the visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Robertson was a member of the University Grants Committee 1960-1965. He was the Chairman of the Chemical Society 1962-1964  .

He was awarded the Davy Medal by the Royal Society in 1960, the Longstaff Medal by the Chemical Society in 1966, and the Paracelsus Medal by the Swiss Chemistry Society in 1971. In 1962 he was made CBE. Aberdeen University awarded him a Honorary LLD, and in 1970 the University of Strathclyde awarded him a Honorary DSc.

He was a Fellow of the Royal Society, of the Royal Institute of Chemistry, of the Institute of Physics, and of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His publications include: Organic Crystals and Molecules , (1953); as well as various papers and articles in journals. John Monteath Robertson died in 1989  .

Source: Who's Who, (1981, London).

The arrangement of this material reflects the original order in which it was received

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Gift: Chemistry Department, Glasgow University: 1987

Digital file level list available in searchroom

Manual file level list available at the Noational Registers of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S) 3337) and London (NRA 35477 Robertson)

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Compiled by Vikki Laidlaw, Hub Project Assistant, 14 October 2004