Richard Phillips (chemist)
Encyclopedia
Richard Phillips was distinguished as a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...

, and became 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"...

 in 1822. He was born in Lombard Street, London
Lombard Street, London
Lombard Street is a street in the City of London.It runs from the corner of the Bank of England at its north-west end, where it meets a major junction including Poultry, King William Street, and Threadneedle Street, south-east to Gracechurch Street....

 on 21 November 1778, married Ann Rickman on 14 April 1807 and died 11 May 1851 in Camberwell
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...

, being buried in Norwood Cemetery. He was appointed chemist and curator to the Museum of Economic (afterwards Practical) Geology, at Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...

 (1839). He was the author of papers published in the Annals of Philosophy and Philosophical Magazine
Philosophical Magazine
The Philosophical Magazine is one of the oldest scientific journals published in English. Initiated by Alexander Tilloch in 1798, in 1822 Richard Taylor became joint editor and it has been published continuously by Taylor & Francis ever since; it was the journal of choice for such luminaries as...

.

In 1796, he and his brother William Phillips
William Phillips (geologist)
William Phillips FRS was an English mineralogist and geologist.Phillips was the son of James Phillips, printer and bookseller in London. He became interested in mineralogy and geology, and was one of the founders of the Geological Society of London...

, together with William Allen
William Allen (Quaker)
William Allen FRS, FLS was an English scientist and philanthropist who opposed slavery and engaged in schemes of social and penal improvement in early nineteenth century England.-Early life:...

 and Luke Howard
Luke Howard
Luke Howard FRS was a British manufacturing chemist and an amateur meteorologist with broad interests in science...

, took part in forming the Askesian Society
Askesian Society
The Askesian Society was a debating club for scientific thinkers, established in 1796 in London. The name was taken from the Greek term Askesis, meaning 'training' or 'application'. It was founded by William Allen, who allowed the use of his laboratory at No...

. He was one of the founders of the Chemical Society
Chemical Society
The Chemical Society was formed in 1841 as a result of increased interest in scientific matters....

 and its president from 1849–51, and prominent in the British Association.

Phillips was a Quaker and a friend of Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday, FRS was an English chemist and physicist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry....

.. He was the son of Richard Phillips (1745–1799), a Quaker printer and his wife, Mary. His paternal grandfather was William Phillips, husband of Catherine Payton Phillips
Catherine Payton Phillips
Catherine Phillips, born Payton was a Quaker Minister, who travelled in England, Wales, Scotland, Holland and the American colonies...

, a Quaker travelling Minister
Recorded Minister
A Recorded Minister was originally a male or female Quaker who was acknowledged to have a gift of spoken ministry.The practice of recording, in a Monthly Meeting Minute, the acknowledgement that a Friend had a gift of spoken ministry began in the 1730s in London Yearly Meeting, according to...

 (his late second marriage).

Works

  • A Translation of the Pharmacopoeia of the Royal College of Physicians, of London, 1824 : with Notes and Illustrations. Phillips, London 1824 digital
  • Translation of the Pharmacopoeia of the Royal College of Physicians of London 1836. 4. ed. Highley, London 1841 digital

Further reading

  • ODNB article by Frank A. J. L. James, ‘Phillips, Richard (1778–1851)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2006 accessed 27 Sept 2010
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