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{{Short description|British organic chemist}}
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[[Image:DrWilsonBaker.jpg|thumb|right|Wilson Baker while at the Dyson Perrins Laboratory]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name= Wilson Baker
| honorific_suffix = [[Royal Society#Fellowship|FRS]]
| image = Dr._Wilson_Baker_(cropped).jpg
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| caption= Wilson Baker while at the Dyson Perrins Laboratory
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1900|01|24}}
| birth_place= [[Runcorn]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y |2002|06|02 |1900|01|24}}
| fields = [[Chelation]], [[Inclusion compound|inclusion compounds]], [[penicillin]] and other [[Natural product|natural products]]
| workplaces = [[Dyson Perrins Laboratory]]<br />[[University of Bristol]]
| patrons=
| education =
| alma_mater = [[Victoria University of Manchester]]
| doctoral_advisor = [[Robert Robinson (organic chemist)|Sir Robert Robinson]]
| academic_advisors =
| doctoral_students =
| notable_students =
| known_for =
| influences =
| influenced =
| awards = See text
| spouse = Juliet Elizabeth Glaisyer
| children = Rosalind, Roger and Katharine}}

[[File:Penicillin Past, Present and Future- the Development and Production of Penicillin, England, 1944 D17816.jpg|thumb|Baker in the Dyson Perrins Laboratory, 1944]]
[[File:Penicillin Past, Present and Future- the Development and Production of Penicillin, England, 1944 D17816.jpg|thumb|Baker in the Dyson Perrins Laboratory, 1944]]
'''Wilson Baker''' [[Royal Society#Fellowship|FRS]] (24 January 1900 – 3 June 2002) was a British [[organic chemistry|organic chemist]].<ref name = "RS">{{Cite journal | last1 = McOmie | first1 = J. F. W. | last2 = Lloyd | first2 = D. M. G. | doi = 10.1098/rsbm.2003.0002 | title = Wilson Baker. 24 January 1900 - 3 June 2002 | journal = [[Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society]] | volume = 49 | pages = 15 | year = 2003 | jstor = 3650212| pmid = | pmc = }}</ref>
'''Wilson Baker''' [[Royal Society#Fellowship|FRS]] (24 January 1900 – 3 June 2002) was a British [[organic chemistry|organic chemist]].<ref name = "RS">{{Cite journal | last1 = McOmie | first1 = J. F. W. | last2 = Lloyd | first2 = D. M. G. | doi = 10.1098/rsbm.2003.0002 | title = Wilson Baker. 24 January 1900 - 3 June 2002 | journal = [[Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society]] | volume = 49 | pages = 15–38 | year = 2003 | jstor = 3650212| doi-access = free }}</ref>


He was born in [[Runcorn]], the youngest of the four children of Harry and Mary Baker (née Eccles); his father was himself a chemist, having studied under Sir [[Henry Enfield Roscoe]] and [[Robert Bunsen]], amongst others. Wilson entered [[Victoria University of Manchester]] at the age of 16, and (having spent some time in France as a [[Quakers|Quaker]] volunteer during the [[First World War]]) graduated top of the honours class in 1921. He then undertook a M.Sc. with [[Arthur Lapworth]], before doing a Ph.D. with [[Robert Robinson (organic chemist)|Sir Robert Robinson]] on the synthesis of [[isoflavones]]. This was awarded in 1924.
He was born in [[Runcorn]], the youngest of the four children of Harry and Mary Baker (née Eccles); his father was himself a chemist, having studied under Sir [[Henry Enfield Roscoe]] and [[Robert Bunsen]], amongst others. Wilson entered [[Victoria University of Manchester]] at the age of 16, and (having spent some time in France as a [[Quakers|Quaker]] volunteer during the [[First World War]]) graduated top of the honours class in 1921. He then undertook an MSc. with [[Arthur Lapworth]], before working on a PhD with [[Robert Robinson (organic chemist)|Sir Robert Robinson]] on the synthesis of [[isoflavones]]. The degree was awarded in 1924, when he was also appointed assistant lecturer.


The following years in Oxford were important in Baker's career:
In 1927 he married Juliet Elizabeth Glaisyer, and was appointed by [[William Henry Perkin, Jr.]] to the [[Dyson Perrins Laboratory]] in Oxford, where he remained until 1944. Late that year, he was appointed to the Alfred Capper Pass Chair of Organic Chemistry at the University of Bristol, where he remained until his retirement in 1965. In his memory, a ''Wilson Baker lecture'' is hosted by the chemistry department in Bristol every year.<ref>{{Cite web
*In 1927 he was appointed by [[William Henry Perkin Jr.|W.H. Perkin FRS]] as a Departmental Demonstrator at the [[Dyson Perrins Laboratory]], and this became a University Lectureship and Demonstratorship in 1928 until 1944.
| last =
*Became a member of [[New College, Oxford|New College]] and was given the degree of MA by Decree of Congregation in November 1930.
| first =
*Awarded the degree of DSc Manchester in 1933.
| authorlink =
*Appointed Fellow and [[Praelector]] in Chemistry at [[The Queen's College, Oxford]], 1936-44.<ref name = "RS"/>
| coauthors =

After 17 years in Oxford, Baker took up the post of Alfred Capper Pass Chair of Organic Chemistry at the [[University of Bristol]] in 1944, where he remained until his retirement in 1965. J.F.W. McOmie and W.D. Ollis (FRS 1972)<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Blackburn | first1 = G. M. | last2 = Sutherland | first2 = I. O. | doi = 10.1098/rsbm.2001.0023 | title = William David Ollis. 22 December 1924 – 13 June 1999: Elected F.R.S. 1972 | journal = Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society | volume = 47 | pages = 395 | year = 2001 | doi-access = free }}</ref> were appointed as assistant lecturers in 1945 and 1946, respectively.

The war years had “left a legacy of impoverished equipment and laboratories in desperate need of maintenance”<ref name = "RS"/> and, as a consequence, Baker's time was mainly occupied in building up the departments of chemistry, first in collaboration with Professor W.E. Garner and then with [[Douglas Hugh Everett|D.H. Everett]]. In his memory, a ''Wilson Baker Lecture'' is hosted by the chemistry department in Bristol every year.<ref>{{Cite web
| title = 2010 Wilson Baker programme, containing a list of previous lecturers
| title = 2010 Wilson Baker programme, containing a list of previous lecturers
| work =
| publisher =
| date =
| url = http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/org/WBProgramme2010.pdf
| url = http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/org/WBProgramme2010.pdf
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| access-date = 10 August 2010}}</ref>
| format =
| doi =
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| accessdate = 10 August 2010}}</ref>


Wilson Baker's research covered many areas, including chelation, inclusion compounds, penicillin and other natural products. His work is fully described in the Royal Society memoir.<ref name = "RS"/>
Wilson Baker's early research interests were in plant pigments, like Robinson's, but he also worked on the chemistry of [[Penicillin]] during the war, and had interest in non-benzenoid aromatic hydrocarbons. The [[Baker-Venkataraman rearrangement]] is named after him and [[K. Venkataraman]].

==Family==
Wilson Baker married Juliet Elizabeth Glaisyer, also a Quaker, on 4 August 1927 at the Sons’ Meeting House, [[Huddersfield]]. They had three children: Rosalind, Roger and Katharine.

Wilson died aged 102 on 3 June 2002, outlived by the three children. Juliet had died in 1991.


A committed [[Quakers|Quaker]], during his time in Oxford, he became concerned with efforts being made for famine relief in Greece during [[World War II]]. He was a member of the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief which applied for funding under the [[War Charities Act 1940]], and which later developed into the charity [[Oxfam]].


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Wilson}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Wilson}}
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[[Category:English chemists]]
[[Category:English chemists]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society]]
[[Category:Organic chemists]]
[[Category:British organic chemists]]
[[Category:Fellows of The Queen's College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Fellows of The Queen's College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Academics of the University of Bristol]]
[[Category:Academics of the University of Bristol]]
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[[Category:1900 births]]
[[Category:1900 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:British centenarians]]
[[Category:Men centenarians]]
[[Category:People from Runcorn]]
[[Category:People from Runcorn]]

Revision as of 06:07, 22 April 2024

Wilson Baker
FRS
Wilson Baker while at the Dyson Perrins Laboratory
Born(1900-01-24)24 January 1900
Runcorn
Died2 June 2002(2002-06-02) (aged 102)
Alma materVictoria University of Manchester
SpouseJuliet Elizabeth Glaisyer
ChildrenRosalind, Roger and Katharine
AwardsSee text
Scientific career
FieldsChelation, inclusion compounds, penicillin and other natural products
InstitutionsDyson Perrins Laboratory
University of Bristol
Doctoral advisorSir Robert Robinson
Baker in the Dyson Perrins Laboratory, 1944

Wilson Baker FRS (24 January 1900 – 3 June 2002) was a British organic chemist.[1]

He was born in Runcorn, the youngest of the four children of Harry and Mary Baker (née Eccles); his father was himself a chemist, having studied under Sir Henry Enfield Roscoe and Robert Bunsen, amongst others. Wilson entered Victoria University of Manchester at the age of 16, and (having spent some time in France as a Quaker volunteer during the First World War) graduated top of the honours class in 1921. He then undertook an MSc. with Arthur Lapworth, before working on a PhD with Sir Robert Robinson on the synthesis of isoflavones. The degree was awarded in 1924, when he was also appointed assistant lecturer.

The following years in Oxford were important in Baker's career:

After 17 years in Oxford, Baker took up the post of Alfred Capper Pass Chair of Organic Chemistry at the University of Bristol in 1944, where he remained until his retirement in 1965. J.F.W. McOmie and W.D. Ollis (FRS 1972)[2] were appointed as assistant lecturers in 1945 and 1946, respectively.

The war years had “left a legacy of impoverished equipment and laboratories in desperate need of maintenance”[1] and, as a consequence, Baker's time was mainly occupied in building up the departments of chemistry, first in collaboration with Professor W.E. Garner and then with D.H. Everett. In his memory, a Wilson Baker Lecture is hosted by the chemistry department in Bristol every year.[3]

Wilson Baker's research covered many areas, including chelation, inclusion compounds, penicillin and other natural products. His work is fully described in the Royal Society memoir.[1]

Family

Wilson Baker married Juliet Elizabeth Glaisyer, also a Quaker, on 4 August 1927 at the Sons’ Meeting House, Huddersfield. They had three children: Rosalind, Roger and Katharine.

Wilson died aged 102 on 3 June 2002, outlived by the three children. Juliet had died in 1991.


References

  1. ^ a b c d McOmie, J. F. W.; Lloyd, D. M. G. (2003). "Wilson Baker. 24 January 1900 - 3 June 2002". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 49: 15–38. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2003.0002. JSTOR 3650212.
  2. ^ Blackburn, G. M.; Sutherland, I. O. (2001). "William David Ollis. 22 December 1924 – 13 June 1999: Elected F.R.S. 1972". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 47: 395. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2001.0023.
  3. ^ "2010 Wilson Baker programme, containing a list of previous lecturers" (PDF). Retrieved 10 August 2010.
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