Donnan Papers

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0103 DONNAN
Held at	: University College London   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/Library/special-coll ›
Full title	: Donnan Papers
Date(s)	: 1906-1956
Level of description	: Collection (fonds)
Extent	: 6 boxes
Name of creator(s)	: Donnan | Frederick George | 1870-1956 | chemist
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Frederick George Donnan studied at Queen's College Belfast from 1889 to 1893, and in Germany under Wislicenus, Ostwald and van't Hoff until 1897. From 1898 to 1903 he worked in Professor (later Sir William) Ramsay's laboratory in University College London. In 1903 he became a Lecturer in Organic Chemistry at the Royal College of Science in Dublin. The following year he was appointed Professor of Physical Chemistry in Liverpool. He supervised the building of the Muspratt Laboratory of physical chemistry and was its Director 1906 to 1913. In 1913 Donnan succeeded Ramsay as Professor of General Chemistry at University College London, where he remained until 1937. From 1924 to 1926 he served on the Council of the Royal Society and was President of the Faraday Society. He was also a member of the Advisory Council of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research from 1925 to 1930; and from 1925 to 1933 he was Foreign Secretary of the Chemical Society. In 1928 he received the Davy Medal of the Royal Society. In 1936 he became a Fellow of University College London. He was President of the Chemical Society from 1937 to 1939, and Chairman of the Royal Society Scientific Relief Committee from 1941 to 1946.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Frederick George Donnan, comprising a long series of general correspondence; eight subject files of correspondence relating to committees and learned societies in which Donnan had a special interest; reports, speeches and obituaries by Donnan; diplomas and degree certificates; photograph album; miscellaneous material.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

Open. The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Normal copyright restrictions apply.

Finding aids:

Handlist and name index.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Presented to the Library by Donnan's family in March 1957.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Cambridge University, Churchill Archives Centre, holds Donnan's correspondence with A V Hill, 1928-1956 (Ref: AVHL).

National Register of Archives: Click here to view NRA record

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:

Date(s) of descriptions:
1999, revised Oct 2001