Ernest Gordon Cox facts for kids

Sir Gordon Cox (born April 24, 1906, died June 23, 1996) was a brilliant British scientist. He was a crystallographer, which means he studied how tiny atoms and molecules are arranged in crystals. He was also a structural chemist, someone who looks at the shapes and structures of chemical compounds. Gordon Cox was the father of another famous British scientist, Keith Gordon Cox, who was a geologist (someone who studies rocks and the Earth).

Gordon Cox's Early Life and School

Gordon Cox was born in a place called Twerton, in Somerset, England, on April 24, 1906. His dad, Ernest Henry Cox, was a market gardener, which means he grew and sold vegetables and fruits. His mom was Rosina Ring.

Gordon went to the City of Bath Boys' School. After that, he went to the University of Bristol to study physics. He finished his degree in 1927. Later, in 1936, the University of Bristol gave him an even higher degree called a DSc.

Starting His Science Career

In 1927, after finishing university, Gordon Cox joined a special science team in London. This team was led by a very famous scientist, Professor Sir William Bragg. They worked in a lab called the Davy-Faraday Laboratory at the Royal Institution. Here, Gordon Cox started his important work using X-rays to study the structures of crystals.

In 1929, he moved to the University of Birmingham to work in the Chemistry Department. He kept working hard and learning more. By 1941, he was promoted to a senior teaching position called a Reader in Chemical Crystallography.

His Role During World War II

Gordon Cox had joined the Territorial Army in 1936, which was like a part-time army for citizens. When World War II started, he stayed at the University of Birmingham for a while to work on explosives, which were very important for the war effort.

In 1942, he took on a big role. He became a Senior Officer in charge of the laboratories for a secret group called the Inter-Services Research Bureau (ISRB). This was actually a cover name for the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a secret British organization that carried out special missions during the war.

Later, in 1944 and 1945, he went to France and Belgium. He was a Lieutenant-Colonel and worked on special duties. His job was to connect and work with the French and Belgian Resistance groups, who were fighting against the enemy in their own countries.

After the War: A Professor and Council Secretary

After the war ended in 1945, Gordon Cox became a Professor at the University of Leeds. He taught Inorganic and Structural Chemistry there. He stayed at Leeds until 1960.

Then, he took on another important job. He became the Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). This council helped to organize and fund research about farming and food. Gordon Cox retired from the ARC in 1971.

Awards and Special Recognition

Gordon Cox received several important awards and honors for his work and service:

• He received the Territorial Decoration (TD) in 1949 for his long service in the Territorial Army.
• In 1954, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom.
• In 1964, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). This meant he could use the title "Sir" before his name.

He also received several special honorary degrees from different universities:

• DSc from Newcastle University in 1964
• DSc from the University of Birmingham in 1964
• LLD from the University of Bristol in 1969
• DSc from the University of Bath in 1973
• DSc from the University of East Anglia in 1973

Family Life

Gordon Cox married his childhood sweetheart, Lucie Baker, in 1929. They had a son and a daughter together. Sadly, Lucie passed away in 1962.

In 1968, Gordon Cox married Professor Mary Rosaleen "Jackie" Truter. She was also a scientist and had worked with him at the University of Leeds. At the time they married, she was the Deputy Director of a special chemistry unit at University College London. She later became Lady Cox. Lady Cox was born in 1925 and passed away on November 26, 2004.

His Final Years

Sir Gordon Cox passed away in Hampstead, London, on June 23, 1996. He was 90 years old.