John Read (chemist) facts for kids

John Read (1884–1963) was a British chemist and a writer about science. He was known for his important work in chemistry and for teaching at universities around the world. He was also a member of important scientific groups like the Royal Society of London and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

A Life of Science

John Read was born on February 17, 1884, in a small village called Maiden Newton in England. His father was a farmer. John was only five years old when his father passed away.

He went to local schools, including Sparkford village school and Sexey's School. Around 1900, he earned a science diploma. This helped him get into the University of London to study Chemistry. He graduated in 1907. After that, he went to Zurich in Switzerland to continue his studies and earned his first PhD.

In 1908, John started working at Cambridge University in the Chemistry Department. He later received another degree from Cambridge in 1912. A few years later, in 1916, he moved to Australia. He became a Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Sydney.

After some time in Australia, he returned to Britain in 1923. He became a Professor of Chemistry at St Andrews University in Scotland. In April 1923, he even visited the famous author Thomas Hardy.

In 1924, John Read was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a special honor for scientists. He was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1935. This group recognized his important work in many areas of chemistry. This included studying how light affects chemicals (optical activity) and looking at natural products from Australia, like eucalyptus oils. He also helped build a strong organic chemistry school in Sydney.

In 1959, he received the Dexter Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry. This award came from the American Chemical Society. John Read passed away in St Andrews on January 21, 1963.

Family Life

In 1916, John Read married Ida Suddards. She traveled by ship to join him in Australia. Her ship even managed to avoid a German submarine!

They had two sons. Their son Arthur became a mathematician and loved climbing mountains. Their other son, Jan, became a movie writer, author, and photographer. John Read's grandson, Richard Read, later became an American journalist.