William Ashwell Shenstone
Encyclopedia
William Ashwell Shenstone FIC FRS
(1 December 1850 in Wells-next-the-Sea
, Norfolk, England - 3 February 1908 in Mullion
, Cornwall) was a chemist, schoolmaster and published author.
Shenstone was born on 1 December 1850 to James Burt Byron Shenstone, a pharmaceutical chemist in Colchester
, and his wife Jemima; he was named after the poet William Shenstone
, a distant relative. He was educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School
, and later as an apprentice to his father, though, during the latter, he was caught in a fire and suffered from pains throughout his life. He married Jane Mildred, the daughter of the rector of Wootton
, on 27 December 1883, with whom he had two children, a son and a daughter. Shenstone died on 3 February 1908 at the Polurrian Hotel, Mullion
, Cornwall, at the age of fifty-eight.
By trade a schoolmaster, Shenstone joined Clifton College
, Bristol, as assistant to William Tilden
in 1874, before being appointed science master at Taunton School
the next year, and in 1877 at Exeter grammar school
. In 1880 he succeeded Tilden as senior science master at Clifton College; there he remained until his death. More significantly, however, Shenstone was also an established chemist. He won the Pereira medal in 1872, conducted research into terpene
s and the solubility of salts at high temperatures together with Tilden, and on his own the preparation of ozone and the properties of highly purified substances.
Shenstone became a fellow of the Chemical Society in 1876, was a fellow of the Institute of Chemistry from 1878, an original member of the Society of Chemical Industry
and a fellow of the Royal Society
from 9 June 1898. According to Who's Who
, his hobbies were "experimental work, general reading, cycling".
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(1 December 1850 in Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea, known locally simply as Wells, is a town, civil parish and seaport situated on the North Norfolk coast in England.The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 2,451 in 1,205 households...
, Norfolk, England - 3 February 1908 in Mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
, Cornwall) was a chemist, schoolmaster and published author.
Shenstone was born on 1 December 1850 to James Burt Byron Shenstone, a pharmaceutical chemist in Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, and his wife Jemima; he was named after the poet William Shenstone
William Shenstone
William Shenstone was an English poet and one of the earliest practitioners of landscape gardening through the development of his estate, The Leasowes.-Life:...
, a distant relative. He was educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School
Colchester Royal Grammar School
Colchester Royal Grammar School is a grammar school in Colchester, Essex, founded in AD 1206 and granted two Royal Charters by Henry VIII and by Elizabeth I .-Admissions:...
, and later as an apprentice to his father, though, during the latter, he was caught in a fire and suffered from pains throughout his life. He married Jane Mildred, the daughter of the rector of Wootton
Wootton, Kent
Wootton is a village near Dover in Kent, England. Birthplace of Leonard Digges, inventor of the Telescope.It once had a Baptist chapel, linked to the Eythorne Baptist Church group....
, on 27 December 1883, with whom he had two children, a son and a daughter. Shenstone died on 3 February 1908 at the Polurrian Hotel, Mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
, Cornwall, at the age of fifty-eight.
By trade a schoolmaster, Shenstone joined Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
, Bristol, as assistant to William Tilden
William A. Tilden
Sir William Augustus Tilden was a British chemist. He discovered that isoprene could be made from turpentine. He was unable to turn this discovery into a way to make commercially viable synthetic rubber....
in 1874, before being appointed science master at Taunton School
Taunton School
Taunton School is a co-educational independent school in the county town of Taunton in Somerset in South West England. It serves boarding and day-school pupils from the ages of 13 to 18....
the next year, and in 1877 at Exeter grammar school
Exeter School
Exeter School is a selective independent co-educational day school for pupils between the ages of 7 and 18 located in Exeter, Devon, England. In 2010 there were around 180 pupils in the Junior School and 670 in the Senior School...
. In 1880 he succeeded Tilden as senior science master at Clifton College; there he remained until his death. More significantly, however, Shenstone was also an established chemist. He won the Pereira medal in 1872, conducted research into terpene
Terpene
Terpenes are a large and diverse class of organic compounds, produced by a variety of plants, particularly conifers, though also by some insects such as termites or swallowtail butterflies, which emit terpenes from their osmeterium. They are often strong smelling and thus may have had a protective...
s and the solubility of salts at high temperatures together with Tilden, and on his own the preparation of ozone and the properties of highly purified substances.
Shenstone became a fellow of the Chemical Society in 1876, was a fellow of the Institute of Chemistry from 1878, an original member of the Society of Chemical Industry
Society of Chemical Industry
The Society of Chemical Industry is a learned society set up in 1881 "to further the application of chemistry and related sciences for the public benefit". Its purpose is "Promoting the commercial application of science for the benefit of society". Its first president was Henry Enfield Roscoe and...
and a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
from 9 June 1898. According to Who's Who
Who's Who
Who's Who is the title of a number of reference publications, generally containing concise biographical information on a particular group of people...
, his hobbies were "experimental work, general reading, cycling".
Published works
- Justus Von Liebig, His Life and Work (1803-1873) (1895)
- Elements of inorganic chemistry (Arnold, 1900)
- Methods of glass blowing (Longmans, 1902)
- The new physics and chemistry (Smith, Elder & co., 1906)
- The methods of glass-blowing and of working silica in the oxy-gas flame (Longmans, Green, 1916)
External links
- Elements of inorganic chemistry on archive.org
- The methods of glass-blowing and of working silica in the oxy-gas flame on archive.org
- The new physics and chemistry on archive.org