Thomas Slater Price facts for kids

Thomas Slater Price (born 1875, died 1949) was an important British chemist from the 20th century. He was known for his work in chemistry and even helped during wartime.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Slater Price was born on August 24, 1875, in a town called Wednesbury. He was one of nine children. His father, Thomas Price, was a teacher, and his mother was Mary Anne Slater.

Young Thomas first went to the Wesleyan school where his father was the head teacher. When he was 12, he moved to King Edward's School in Birmingham. From there, he earned a spot at Mason College.

He studied hard and graduated from the University of London in 1895. He earned a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree with top honors in both chemistry and physics.

Further Studies and Research

After getting his first degree, Thomas continued his research at Mason College. He worked under the guidance of a scientist named P. F. Frankland.

Later, he traveled to Leipzig to work with Wilhelm Ostwald, a famous chemist. There, Thomas earned his PhD degree with the highest honors. In 1898, he continued his research in Stockholm with another well-known scientist, Svante Arrhenius.

He returned to Mason College in 1898 and finished his research from Stockholm. For this work, the University of London awarded him a Doctor of Science (DSc) degree.

After spending a year in Sheffield, Price moved to the University of Birmingham. He became a senior lecturer in chemistry there. In 1903, when he was just 28 years old, he was chosen to lead the chemistry department at the Birmingham Central Technical College.

War Work and Achievements

In 1916, Thomas Price began working on secret projects for the war effort. He joined the Royal Naval Experimental Station in Stratford. He was given the rank of Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

As his work expanded, he was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander. He was put in charge of many important research projects. One of his key projects was designing special equipment to create smoke screens at sea. These smoke screens were used very successfully in the famous Zeebrugge Raid.

For his important contributions during the war, Price was awarded a military OBE in 1919. This award recognized his excellent service.

Later Career and Recognition

In September 1920, Price became the director of research at The British Photographic Association. This organization had been created two years earlier. He held this important position for ten years.

Many significant scientific papers came from the laboratories during his time in charge. The Association closed down in 1930.

In 1931, Price was appointed as the head of chemistry at Heriot-Watt College. He stayed in this role until he retired in 1940. He faced health challenges during much of this time.

Price published 36 scientific papers between 1897 and 1923. His important work was recognized by two major scientific groups. The Royal Society elected him as a Fellow in 1924. The Royal Society of Edinburgh also made him a Fellow in 1932.

Family Life

Thomas Slater Price married Florence Beardmore in 1904. She was also born in Wednesbury. They had three children together: Leslie, Eileen, and Florence Mary.

Thomas Price passed away on October 29, 1949, in Ratho, which is near Edinburgh. This was a little over a year after his wife had died. He was cremated on November 2. Florence was buried at Wood Green Cemetery in Wednesbury, alongside her parents and brother.

Professional Involvement

Thomas Slater Price was actively involved in several important scientific societies:

• The Chemical Society: He served on the Council and was a Senior Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. He also held the position of Vice-President.
• The Royal Institute of Chemistry: He was an examiner in Physical Chemistry and a Member of Council. He also served as Vice-President.
• The Royal Photographic Society: He was a Member of Council and a Vice-President.

Books Written

Thomas Slater Price also wrote several books:

• Theories of Chemistry
• A Course of Practical Organic Chemistry (published in 1907)
• Peracids and Their Salts (published in 1912)