Humphrey Owen Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Humphrey Owen Jones
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| Born | 20 February 1878 Goginan near Aberystwyth, Wales
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| Died | 15 August 1912 (aged 34) Mont Blanc, Italy
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry, mountaineering |
| Institutions | University of Cambridge |
Humphrey Owen Jones (born February 20, 1878 – died August 15, 1912) was a talented Welsh scientist. He was known for his important work as a chemist and also for his adventurous spirit as a mountaineer.
Early Life and Education
Humphrey Owen Jones was born in a place called Goginan in Cardiganshire, Wales. He went to school at Lewis School, Pengam. Later, he studied at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.
He continued his studies at Clare College, Cambridge, focusing on natural sciences. He earned his first degree in 1899 and a master's degree in 1903. In 1904, he received a higher degree, a D.Sc., from the University of London.
On August 1, 1912, Humphrey married Muriel Gwendolen Edwards. She was also a scientist and loved climbing. She was the first woman to become a Fellow of the University of Wales.
A Brilliant Chemist
In 1901, Jones started working as a demonstrator at the University of Cambridge. He helped students learn about science. He also became a Fellow at Clare College in 1902, where he taught chemistry. For eleven years, he spent most of his time teaching and guiding science students.
Humphrey Owen Jones was one of the busiest British chemists of his time. He wrote and published more than 60 scientific papers between 1900 and 1912. He did all his research at Cambridge. He worked with other famous scientists like Sir James Dewar and Henry Fenton.
He studied how different chemicals react. For example, he looked at how organic acids oxidize. He also worked on the structure of nitrogen in chemicals. Later, he helped Sir James Dewar study special metal compounds called carbonyls. This work helped them discover a new chemical called carbon monosulfide.
His important research led him to study organic sulfur compounds. Because of his excellent work, he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Society in 1912. This is a very high honor for a scientist in Britain.
Passionate Mountaineer
In 1907, Jones discovered his love for climbing after getting lessons in Snowdonia, Wales. He became a very skilled climber. He even created some new, difficult climbing routes in Snowdonia, like "Paradise" on Lliwedd in 1909. His sister, Bronwen Ceridwen Jones, was also a great climber.
He explored the Mont Blanc area in the Alps a lot. On August 9, 1911, he was part of the first team to climb the Brouillard ridge to the top of Mont Blanc. He found many new climbing paths there. He was a member of both the Climbers' Club and the Alpine Club, which are important groups for mountaineers. He wrote several articles about his climbing adventures in their magazines.
Tragic Accident
Sadly, Humphrey Owen Jones and his wife, Muriel, died in a climbing accident. It happened on their honeymoon in Switzerland on August 15, 1912. They were climbing a peak called Aiguille Rouge de Peuterey in Italy. Their guide, Julius Truffer, slipped and fell, hitting Jones. All three fell nearly 1,000 feet onto the Fresnay Glacier.
They were buried in Courmayeur, Italy. To honor Humphrey Owen Jones, the north summit of the Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey was named La Pointe Jones.
