JOCELYN FIELD THORPE (1872-
)
For biographical note contributed by Dr. Ralph E. Oesper, of the Universitj of Cincinnati, see page 98. Dr. Oesper also lent the photograph here reproduced.
JOCELYN FIELD THORPE* Jocelyn F. Thorpe, Emeritus Professor of Organic Chemistry in the University of London, was born in that city on December 1, 1872. After attending the Royal College of Science, London, he went to Heidelberg to learn the methodology of chemical research. After two years under the guidance of Karl.von Auwers he was granted the Ph.D. degree (1895) and then, attracted by the opportunity to work with W. H. Perkin, Jr., was happy to become Research Fellow of Owens College, Manchester. He now began his studies of camphor and allied problems. These investigations extended through a decade. He devised a synthesis for camphoronic acids and eventually of camphor itself. Dr. Thorpe was appointed Assistant Lecturer in Organic Chemistry in 1896; by 1908 he was Senior Lecturer in Chemistry and Lecturer in Biochemistry. The University of Manchester awarded him a Sc.D. in 1908; this same year he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society (F. R. S.). This organization further recognized his talents and appointed him its Sorby Research Fellow in 1909; he held this post for four years, devoting his efforts chiefly to investigations of polycyclic compounds, especially those containing cyclopentane and cyclohexane rings. In 1913 he was called to the Imperial College of the University of London, where he reorganized the teaching of organic chemistry and introduced new methods of training in research. He ' S e e frontispiece.
occupied this chair until he reached the age limit in 1938. During the Great War he devised methods for the defense of troops against toxic gases; for this service he was appointed Commander of the British Empire (C. B. E.). The government has made liberal use of his expert knowledge in such posts as the Advisory Council Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; Chemical Defense Committee, War Office; President, Indian Chemical Services Committee; Safety in Mines Research Board; Chairman, Explosives in Mines Committee; DyestuffsDevelopment Committee, Board of Trade. Professor Thorpe's professional colleagues have given evidence of their appreciation of his merits: Longstaff Medal of the Chemical Society (1921); Davy Medal of the Royal Society (1922); Council of the Royal Society (1923-25); President of the Chemical Society (192831) ; President of the Institute of Chemistry (1933-36). He is Officier de la Legion d' Honneur. His publications include numerous papers of high quality, and his book, "The Synthetic Dyestuffs and Intermediate Products" (7th ed., 1935), under the name "Caiu and Thorpe," has been a oademecum in academic and industrial circles for many years. He was a contributor to (Edward) Thorpe's "Dictionary of Applied Chemistry" and co-editor of the supplementary volumes, and is now co-editor of the new (fourth) edition of this valuable encyclopedia.
(Contributed by Ralph E. Oesper,University of Cincinnati)
