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Stephen Finney Mason

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543: 786: 746: 235:; they married on 31 December 1949. The marriage did not last, and the couple parted on friendly terms. Bridget later married Hill, while Stephen married Joan Banus in 1955. She had been working at UCL while he was at ANU. They had three sons in the next five years: Oliver Neil, Andrew Lawrence and Lionel Jeremy, all of whom have successful careers in their fields. 758: 798: 183:
Work on the new labs in Canberra was finished in 1956, and Albert returned to the ANU. Mason was offered the chance of a post there but, for various reasons, it did not work out. Instead, he went to the University of Exeter as a lecturer in physical-organic chemistry. During his time there he worked
176:, which was temporarily based in the Wellcome Institute in London. In 1953 Mason joined the man whose work he had long admired, where he was put in charge of a new suite of spectroscopic instruments. In 1955 he had to move to 195:
in 1964. His appointment was as Professor of Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, "a position that he felt did not accord well with his polymathematical inclinations." He moved to a chair of chemistry at
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Throughout this time, though, Mason was concerned that he was slipping further away from the bench; and he was also aware that Oxford would not welcome him back as a research scientist.
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Stephen Finney Mason was born in Leicestershire on 6 July 1923, the first child of Leonard Stephen Mason, a garage owner, and Chrissie Harriette (née Finney). He won a scholarship to
532: 510: 838: 158:. His role in the museum was to give lectures of general interest on the history of science, which required greatly expanding his reading and knowledge. In 1953 he published 853: 868: 500: 155: 615: 542: 843: 833: 475: 858: 180:(his lab at the Wellcome was needed by the Institute), where he had the chance to improve his understanding of quantum chemistry and molecular spectroscopy. 690: 716: 828: 113: 31: 610: 132:. He graduated with a first-class degree in 1945 and, in 1947, was awarded a DPhil on the biological activity of antimalarials, supervised by 848: 564: 527: 522: 154:
to join his staff as a departmental demonstrator (junior lecturer), on condition that he also became the secretary and treasurer of the
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On his retirement, Stephen Mason and his wife moved to Cambridge where, for the next couple of years he worked on his book
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Mason had hoped to continue research in the chemistry department, but his attempt to find a position was blocked by
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Joan died on 20 March 2004, and was cremated in Cambridge on 31 March. Stephen died on 11 December 2007.
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as the result of a dispute between Robertson and Hammick. He turned, instead, to the history of science.
790: 654: 185: 823: 818: 484: 232: 600: 590: 559: 283: 261: 147: 649: 404: 802: 605: 431: 315: 275: 212: 721: 133: 116:(6 July 1923 – 11 December 2007) was a British chemist and scientific historian. 52: 812: 685: 595: 266: 169: 287: 669: 659: 443: 327: 319: 435: 162:, a book that has been reprinted 27 times and translated into seven languages. 726: 637: 341: 71: 279: 401:
Chemical Evolution: Origins of the Elements, Molecules and Living Systems
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Chemical evolution: origins of the elements, molecules and living systems
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in late 1969, where he remained until retirement in 1988. He was made a
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During his time at the Museum of the History of Science, Mason joined
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from 1933 to 1941; from there he gained an open scholarship to
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A History of the Sciences: main currents of Scientific Thought
172:, the head of the Department of Medical Chemistry at the 262:"Stephen Finney Mason. 6 July 1923 — 11 December 2007" 774: 874:
People educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys
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Society for the Study of Alchemy and Early Chemistry
709: 678: 629: 583: 550: 493: 191:He moved to a foundation chair of Chemistry at the 95: 87: 79: 60: 38: 23: 375:"Emeritus Professor Stephen Mason CChem FRSC FRS" 469: 8: 430:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 314:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 691:Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry 839:Academics of the University of East Anglia 476: 462: 454: 20: 854:Fellows of the Royal Society of Chemistry 869:Communist Party Historians Group members 188:. Mason was promoted to Reader in 1963. 16:British chemist and scientific historian 781: 427:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 311:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 247: 379:Royal Society of Chemistry: Obituaries 834:Academics of the University of Exeter 362:. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. 255: 253: 251: 7: 757: 701:University of St Mark & St John 373:Peacock, Robert D; Stewart, Brian. 844:Academics of King's College London 14: 152:History of Science Museum, Oxford 859:Fellows of King's College London 829:Alumni of Wadham College, Oxford 796: 784: 756: 745: 744: 616:University Chapel (Holy Trinity) 541: 229:Communist Party Historians Group 696:Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital 168:He was offered a fellowship by 213:Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship 1: 849:Fellows of the Royal Society 575:Institute of Cornish Studies 444:UK public library membership 328:UK public library membership 621:University Chapel (St Luke) 403:. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 202:Fellow of the Royal Society 890: 732:University of Exeter Press 533:List of honorary graduates 146:In 1947 he was invited by 740: 539: 399:Mason, Stephen F (1991). 358:Mason, Stephen F (1953). 344:; the FRS memoir says in 308:"Mason, Stephen Finney". 193:University of East Anglia 160:A History of the Sciences 99:(1) Bridget Irene Sutton 570:Camborne School of Mines 424:"Hill , Bridget Irene". 126:Wyggeston Grammar School 320:10.1093/ref:odnb/100835 260:Grinter, Roger (2011). 516:Professor Lisa Roberts 436:10.1093/ref:odnb/77170 280:10.1098/rsbm.2011.0010 130:Wadham College, Oxford 91:Professor of Chemistry 231:. Another member was 198:King's College London 150:, the curator of the 486:University of Exeter 233:Bridget Irene Sutton 108:Stephen Finney Mason 25:Stephen Finney Mason 655:Rugby Football Club 591:Exeter Science Park 560:Bill Douglas Centre 611:Halls of Residence 506:Sir Michael Barber 148:F. Sherwood Taylor 772: 771: 650:Northcott Theatre 523:List of academics 442:(Subscription or 340:The ODNB says in 326:(Subscription or 211:, supported by a 105: 104: 881: 864:British chemists 801: 800: 799: 789: 788: 787: 780: 764: 760: 759: 752: 748: 747: 606:Streatham Campus 601:St Luke's Campus 551:Departments and 545: 487: 478: 471: 464: 455: 448: 447: 439: 421: 415: 414: 396: 390: 389: 387: 385: 370: 364: 363: 355: 349: 338: 332: 331: 323: 305: 299: 298: 296: 294: 257: 225:Christopher Hill 67: 64:11 December 2007 48: 46: 21: 889: 888: 884: 883: 882: 880: 879: 878: 809: 808: 807: 797: 795: 785: 783: 775: 773: 768: 762: 750: 736: 722:CSM Association 705: 674: 625: 579: 565:Business School 552: 546: 537: 511:Vice-Chancellor 489: 485: 482: 452: 451: 441: 423: 422: 418: 411: 398: 397: 393: 383: 381: 372: 371: 367: 357: 356: 352: 339: 335: 325: 307: 306: 302: 292: 290: 259: 258: 249: 244: 221: 141:Robert Robinson 134:Dalziel Hammick 122: 100: 75: 69: 65: 56: 50: 44: 42: 34: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 887: 885: 877: 876: 871: 866: 861: 856: 851: 846: 841: 836: 831: 826: 821: 811: 810: 806: 805: 793: 791:United Kingdom 770: 769: 767: 766: 754: 741: 738: 737: 735: 734: 729: 724: 719: 717:Academic dress 713: 711: 707: 706: 704: 703: 698: 693: 688: 682: 680: 676: 675: 673: 672: 667: 662: 657: 652: 647: 642: 633: 631: 627: 626: 624: 623: 618: 613: 608: 603: 598: 593: 587: 585: 581: 580: 578: 577: 572: 567: 562: 556: 554: 548: 547: 540: 538: 536: 535: 530: 528:List of alumni 525: 519: 518: 513: 508: 503: 497: 495: 491: 490: 483: 481: 480: 473: 466: 458: 450: 449: 416: 409: 391: 365: 350: 333: 300: 246: 245: 243: 240: 220: 217: 121: 118: 103: 102: 101:(2) Joan Banus 97: 93: 92: 89: 85: 84: 81: 77: 76: 70: 68:(aged 84) 62: 58: 57: 53:Leicestershire 51: 40: 36: 35: 27: 24: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 886: 875: 872: 870: 867: 865: 862: 860: 857: 855: 852: 850: 847: 845: 842: 840: 837: 835: 832: 830: 827: 825: 822: 820: 817: 816: 814: 804: 794: 792: 782: 778: 765: 755: 753: 743: 742: 739: 733: 730: 728: 725: 723: 720: 718: 715: 714: 712: 708: 702: 699: 697: 694: 692: 689: 687: 684: 683: 681: 677: 671: 668: 666: 663: 661: 658: 656: 653: 651: 648: 646: 643: 640: 639: 635: 634: 632: 628: 622: 619: 617: 614: 612: 609: 607: 604: 602: 599: 597: 596:Penryn Campus 594: 592: 589: 588: 586: 582: 576: 573: 571: 568: 566: 563: 561: 558: 557: 555: 549: 544: 534: 531: 529: 526: 524: 521: 520: 517: 514: 512: 509: 507: 504: 502: 499: 498: 496: 492: 488: 479: 474: 472: 467: 465: 460: 459: 456: 445: 437: 433: 429: 428: 420: 417: 412: 410:9780198552727 406: 402: 395: 392: 380: 376: 369: 366: 361: 354: 351: 347: 343: 337: 334: 329: 321: 317: 313: 312: 304: 301: 289: 285: 281: 277: 273: 269: 268: 267:Royal Society 263: 256: 254: 252: 248: 241: 239: 236: 234: 230: 226: 218: 216: 214: 210: 205: 203: 199: 194: 189: 187: 181: 179: 175: 171: 170:Adrien Albert 166: 163: 161: 157: 153: 149: 144: 142: 137: 135: 131: 127: 119: 117: 115: 112: 109: 98: 94: 90: 86: 82: 78: 73: 63: 59: 54: 41: 37: 33: 30: 22: 19: 670:Bottle Match 660:Xpression FM 636: 630:Student life 425: 419: 400: 394: 382:. Retrieved 378: 368: 359: 353: 336: 309: 303: 291:. Retrieved 271: 265: 237: 222: 208: 206: 190: 182: 167: 164: 159: 145: 138: 123: 107: 106: 66:(2007-12-11) 18: 824:2007 deaths 819:1923 births 645:Hockey Club 641:(newspaper) 293:16 February 274:: 253–268. 80:Nationality 49:6 July 1923 813:Categories 727:Exoniensis 679:Affiliates 501:Chancellor 446:required.) 330:required.) 242:References 88:Occupation 45:1923-07-06 803:Biography 342:Leicester 204:in 1982. 186:chirality 120:Biography 74:, England 72:Cambridge 55:, England 751:Category 288:72973276 777:Portals 763:Commons 638:Exeposé 553:centres 96:Spouses 83:British 584:Campus 494:People 440: 407:  384:26 May 346:Anstey 324: 286:  219:Family 710:Other 686:eSTAR 284:S2CID 405:ISBN 386:2020 295:2016 114:FRSC 61:Died 39:Born 32:FRSC 665:XTV 432:doi 316:doi 276:doi 227:'s 184:on 178:UCL 174:ANU 111:FRS 29:FRS 815:: 377:. 282:. 272:57 270:. 264:. 250:^ 215:. 136:. 779:: 477:e 470:t 463:v 438:. 434:: 413:. 388:. 348:. 322:. 318:: 297:. 278:: 47:) 43:(

Index

FRS
FRSC
Leicestershire
Cambridge
FRS
FRSC
Wyggeston Grammar School
Wadham College, Oxford
Dalziel Hammick
Robert Robinson
F. Sherwood Taylor
History of Science Museum, Oxford
Society for the Study of Alchemy and Early Chemistry
Adrien Albert
ANU
UCL
chirality
University of East Anglia
King's College London
Fellow of the Royal Society
Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship
Christopher Hill
Communist Party Historians Group
Bridget Irene Sutton



"Stephen Finney Mason. 6 July 1923 — 11 December 2007"
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