Oswald Silberrad
Encyclopedia
Oswald Silberrad was a British chemist who specialised in explosives, the related field of dye stuffs, and metallurgy.
in Essex
and was the younger brother of the writer Una Lucy Silberrad
. He studied chemistry
at the City and Guilds Technical College
. From 1898 to 1900 he attended the University of Würzburg
. On leaving Würzburg he worked at various positions until he joined the United Kingdom Government Explosives Committee. This committee had been set up after the Boer War
to investigate the shortcomings of British explosives. In 1901, at the age of 23, Silberrad was appointed chemist to the committee. Later he took the position as head of the committee’s research institute at Woolwich
. One of his contributions was to bring TNT into use as an explosive for Royal Navy ordnance, thus following a practice that was already well-known in Germany.
In 1906 he left the institute, and in 1907 founded the Silberrad Research Laboratories,first at Buckhurst Hill
, and later moved to Loughton
, where he had a special laboratory block added to his new house. As a consulting chemist, he mainly focused on the study of explosives. He also developed a new alloy
, solving the problem of the erosion of warships' bronze
propellers. In 1921 he campaigned unsuccessfully for a position at the Royal Society
.
Silberrad is buried at the parish church in Loughton
. His home, Dryad's Hall, became that of barrister John Silberrad, and, on his death, was sold out of the family in 2005.
Life and works
Silberrad was born at Buckhurst HillBuckhurst Hill
Buckhurst Hill is an affluent suburban town in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England. Located adjacent to the northern boundary of Greater London, it forms part of the Greater London Urban Area.- Overview :...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
and was the younger brother of the writer Una Lucy Silberrad
Una Lucy Silberrad
Una Lucy Silberrad was a British writer. As seen on her grave slab and on the brass in St.Mary's Burnham-on-Crouch, she described herself as "authoress", avoiding the gender-neutral term "writer", and probably reflecting her feminist views...
. He studied chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at the City and Guilds Technical College
City and Guilds of London Institute
The City and Guilds of London Institute is a leading United Kingdom vocational education organisation. City & Guilds offers more than 500 qualifications over the whole range of industry sectors through 8500 colleges and training providers in 81 countries worldwide...
. From 1898 to 1900 he attended the University of Würzburg
University of Würzburg
The University of Würzburg is a university in Würzburg, Germany, founded in 1402. The university is a member of the distinguished Coimbra Group.-Name:...
. On leaving Würzburg he worked at various positions until he joined the United Kingdom Government Explosives Committee. This committee had been set up after the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
to investigate the shortcomings of British explosives. In 1901, at the age of 23, Silberrad was appointed chemist to the committee. Later he took the position as head of the committee’s research institute at Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
. One of his contributions was to bring TNT into use as an explosive for Royal Navy ordnance, thus following a practice that was already well-known in Germany.
In 1906 he left the institute, and in 1907 founded the Silberrad Research Laboratories,first at Buckhurst Hill
Buckhurst Hill
Buckhurst Hill is an affluent suburban town in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England. Located adjacent to the northern boundary of Greater London, it forms part of the Greater London Urban Area.- Overview :...
, and later moved to Loughton
Loughton
Loughton is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located between 11 and 13 miles north east of Charing Cross in London, south of the M25 and west of the M11 motorway and has boundaries with Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill...
, where he had a special laboratory block added to his new house. As a consulting chemist, he mainly focused on the study of explosives. He also developed a new alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
, solving the problem of the erosion of warships' bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
propellers. In 1921 he campaigned unsuccessfully for a position at 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"...
.
Silberrad is buried at the parish church in Loughton
Loughton
Loughton is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located between 11 and 13 miles north east of Charing Cross in London, south of the M25 and west of the M11 motorway and has boundaries with Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill...
. His home, Dryad's Hall, became that of barrister John Silberrad, and, on his death, was sold out of the family in 2005.