Charles Joseph Singer (2 November 1876 - 10 June 1960) was a
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
historian of science and medicineScience is a body of empirical, theoretical, and practical knowledge about the natural world, produced by a global community of researchers making use of scientific methods, which emphasize the observation, explanation, and adequate prediction of real world phenomena by experiment...
.
Singer was born in
CamberwellCamberwell is a district of London, England and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located south east of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Etymology:...
in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, where his father
Simeon SingerSimeon Singer was a Jewish preacher, lecturer and public worker.He was born in London, and after a short stay at a Hungarian school, became a student at Jews' College, of which he was subsequently for a time the principal....
was a minister and Hebraist. He was educated at
City of London SchoolThe City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and of the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
,
University College LondonUniversity College London is a British university institution and a constituent college of the University of London, based primarily in Bloomsbury, London...
, and
Magdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million....
(
ZoologyZoology, also spelled zoölogy, is the branch of biology that focuses on the structure, function, behavior, and evolution of animals. The zoologist's pronunciation of "zoology" is , though a common spelling pronunciation is .-Systems of classification:...
1896-99, Honorary Fellow 1953). Trained in zoology and medicine, he qualified for medical practice in 1903. On the day when his medical qualification was announced he was appointed medical officer on an expedition led by Sir John Harrington to the border region between
AbyssiniaEthiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast. Its size is 1,100,000 km² with an...
and
SudanSudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area...
.
Charles Joseph Singer (2 November 1876 - 10 June 1960) was a
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
historian of science and medicineScience is a body of empirical, theoretical, and practical knowledge about the natural world, produced by a global community of researchers making use of scientific methods, which emphasize the observation, explanation, and adequate prediction of real world phenomena by experiment...
.
Early years
Singer was born in
CamberwellCamberwell is a district of London, England and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located south east of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Etymology:...
in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, where his father
Simeon SingerSimeon Singer was a Jewish preacher, lecturer and public worker.He was born in London, and after a short stay at a Hungarian school, became a student at Jews' College, of which he was subsequently for a time the principal....
was a minister and Hebraist. He was educated at
City of London SchoolThe City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and of the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
,
University College LondonUniversity College London is a British university institution and a constituent college of the University of London, based primarily in Bloomsbury, London...
, and
Magdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million....
(
ZoologyZoology, also spelled zoölogy, is the branch of biology that focuses on the structure, function, behavior, and evolution of animals. The zoologist's pronunciation of "zoology" is , though a common spelling pronunciation is .-Systems of classification:...
1896-99, Honorary Fellow 1953). Trained in zoology and medicine, he qualified for medical practice in 1903. On the day when his medical qualification was announced he was appointed medical officer on an expedition led by Sir John Harrington to the border region between
AbyssiniaEthiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast. Its size is 1,100,000 km² with an...
and
SudanSudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area...
. He returned to England and took a position at
Sussex County HospitalThe Royal Sussex County Hospital is an acute teaching hospital in Brighton, England. Together with the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath, it is administered by the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust...
in
BrightonBrighton is a town in the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex on the south coast of Great Britain...
, and in 1907 left for
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, lying north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At , Singapore is a microstate and the smallest nation in Southeast...
. Forced to return to England on his father's death in 1908, he held positions at various hospitals in London until he moved to
OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
in 1914 to work with
Sir William Osler (first Baronet)Sir William Osler, M.D.,C.M., 1st Baronet was a Canadian physician.He has been called one of the greatest icons of modern medicine and described as the Father of Modern Medicine...
, then
Regius ProfessorRegius Professorships are "royal" professorships at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dublin. The chairs were created by a monarch, and each appointment, save those at Dublin, is approved by the Crown...
of Medicine at the
universityThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
.
Later years
Singer was married in July 1910 to Dorothea Waley Cohen, distinguished in her own right as an historian of the Medieval period. She provided valuable assistance in his publications for the remainder of his life. In the period leading up to
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, Singer published several monographs, for which he was awarded the
D.Litt.Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree.In the United Kingdom, Australia, India and certain other countries, the degree is a higher doctorate, above the Doctor of Philosophy , and is issued on the basis of a long record of research and publication. The degree D.Litt...
degree by
OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
.
Singer accepted a commission as
medical officer in the British ArmyThe Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
in 1916, first as a pathologist and then as part of an archeological expedition. At war's end, he returned to
OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
to lecture on the
history of biologyScience is a body of empirical, theoretical, and practical knowledge about the natural world, produced by a global community of researchers making use of scientific methods, which emphasize the observation, explanation, and adequate prediction of real world phenomena by experiment...
. In 1920 he was appointed to a lectureship in the
history of medicineScience is a body of empirical, theoretical, and practical knowledge about the natural world, produced by a global community of researchers making use of scientific methods, which emphasize the observation, explanation, and adequate prediction of real world phenomena by experiment...
at
University CollegeUniversity College London is a British university institution and a constituent college of the University of London, based primarily in Bloomsbury, London...
of the
University of LondonBased primarily in London, England, United Kingdom, the University of London is a federal mega university made up of 31 affiliates: 19 separate university institutions, and 12 research institutes...
. His reputation extended beyond England, and in 1929 he accepted an invitation to lecture at
Johns Hopkins UniversityThe Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Johns Hopkins also maintains full-time campuses elsewhere in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Italy, China, and Singapore...
to be conducted the following year.
Johns HopkinsThe Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Johns Hopkins also maintains full-time campuses elsewhere in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Italy, China, and Singapore...
was also interested in offering him a permanent post, but their delay allowed the
University of LondonBased primarily in London, England, United Kingdom, the University of London is a federal mega university made up of 31 affiliates: 19 separate university institutions, and 12 research institutes...
to award him an honorary chair, which he accepted. By the time
Johns HopkinsThe Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Johns Hopkins also maintains full-time campuses elsewhere in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Italy, China, and Singapore...
made their formal offer, he was satisfied with his position in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
and declined their offer. The Singers spent time in
BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley is a public research university located in Berkeley, California, United States. The oldest of the ten major campuses affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley offers some 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines...
where Charles spent three months as a visiting lecturer at the
University of CaliforniaThe University of California, Berkeley is a public research university located in Berkeley, California, United States. The oldest of the ten major campuses affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley offers some 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines...
, after which they returned home to
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
. He was invited again by the
University of California at BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley is a public research university located in Berkeley, California, United States. The oldest of the ten major campuses affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley offers some 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines...
to lecture in 1932, an occasion that the Singers used to circle the globe going westward, spending about sixteen months away from England. On their return, Singer resumed his post at
UCLUniversity College London is a British university institution and a constituent college of the University of London, based primarily in Bloomsbury, London...
, where he remained until his retirement in 1942. His last great publication before retirement was
A Short History of Scientific Ideas to 1900.
Retirement was not idle for the Singers. Charles continued research into various topics and published several noteworthy books, including editing the monumental
A History of TechnologyThe history of technology is the history of the invention of tools and techniques. Background knowledge has enabled people to create new things, and conversely, many scientific endeavors have become possible through technologies which assist humans to travel to places we could not otherwise go,...
, which was released in five volumes between 1954 and 1958,
GalenAelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamum , was a prominent Greek physician and philosopher and probably the most accomplished medical researcher of the Roman period. His theories dominated and influenced Western medical science for well over a millennium...
on Anatomical Procedures, and
A History of Biology. Numerous articles were also published in this period, some of which remain important. He died in
Par, CornwallPar is a village and fishing port situated about east of St Austell, on the south coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom.It has a population of around 1,400. South of the village is Par Harbour and the wide beach of Par Sands, a further small beach can be found at Spit Point beyond the harbour...
.
Award and recognitions
Charles Singer's life was complemented by numerous awards, honors, and positions of leadership. Among these were an honorary degree
(D.Sc.)Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, such as the UK, Ireland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and several Commonwealth...
from
OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
, the
Sarton MedalThe George Sarton Medal, an award of the History of Science Society, has been awarded annually since 1955. It is awarded to a historian of science selected from the international scholarly community for a lifetime of scholarly achievement....
from the
History of Science SocietyThe History of Science Society is the primary professional society for the academic study of the history of science. It was founded in 1924 by George Sarton and Lawrence Joseph Henderson, primarily to support the publication of Isis, a journal of the history of science Sarton had started in 1912....
, and terms of presidency of several societies, including the British Society of the History of Medicine (1946-1948) and the International Union for the History of Science (1947).
Partial bibliography
- From Magic to Science: Essays on the Scientific Twilight (1928)
- A Short History of Science to the Nineteenth Century (1941)
- As editor, A History of Technology (5 vols, between 1954 and 1958), together with Eric John Holmyard
Eric John Holmyard was an English science teacher at Clifton College, and historian of science and technology.-Scholar:His scholarly work included rectification of accounts of the history of alchemy, particularly in relation with Islamic science. He translated texts from Arabic and Latin, and...
and A.R. Hall.
- Galen on Anatomical Procedures (1956)
- A History of Biology to About the Year 1900 (1959)
- Greek Biology & Greek Medicine, Chapters in the History of Science, Clarendon Press, 1922.