Thomas Turner (metallurgist)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Turner Sc., A.R.S.M., F.R.I.C. (Birmingham
, 1861–1951) was the first Professor of Metallurgy in Britain, at the University of Birmingham
. The University was created in 1900 and the department founded in 1902. He retired in 1926. He was also a leading member of the Christadelphian church.
Turner was born in Ladywood
, Birmingham in 1861. He married Christian Smith of
Edinburgh in 1887 and had two sons and two daughters. He studied metallurgy at the Royal School of Mines
in London, and won the annual De la Beche
medal awarded in memory of the school's founder. Turner was demonstrator at Mason Science College
from 1883, then 1887 lecturer in metallurgy
, a new science that "was to develop greatly under his guidance during the next forty years." From 1894-1902 he was Director of Technical Instruction to Staffordshire County Council, but in 1902 was chosen as the first Professor of Metallurgy in the newly established University of Birmingham. He retired in 1926 but continued to publish and lecture.
His most notable work was seminal research in the influence of silicon in cast iron. He was a founder member of, and later president of the Institute of Metals, vice president of the Iron and Steel Institute, and on the Advisory Committee of the Imperial Institute.
Turner was active in the Christadelphian church and for many years was editor of the Fraternal Visitor magazine of the Suffolk Street fellowship. In this function he was also involved in support of the Gemeinde in Germany, corresponding with Albert Maier
and Ludwig von Gerdtell
.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, 1861–1951) was the first Professor of Metallurgy in Britain, at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
. The University was created in 1900 and the department founded in 1902. He retired in 1926. He was also a leading member of the Christadelphian church.
Turner was born in Ladywood
Ladywood
Ladywood is an inner-city area in Birmingham, England. It is a council constituency, managed by its own district committee. The constituency includes the smaller Ladywood ward and the wards of Aston, Nechells and Soho. In June 2004, Birmingham City Council conducted a city-wide "Ward Boundary...
, Birmingham in 1861. He married Christian Smith of
Edinburgh in 1887 and had two sons and two daughters. He studied metallurgy at the Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines comprises the departments of Earth Science and Engineering, and Materials at Imperial College London.- History :The Royal School of Mines was established in 1851, as the Government School of Mines and Science Applied to the Arts...
in London, and won the annual De la Beche
Henry De la Beche
Sir Henry Thomas De la Beche FRS was an English geologist and palaeontologist who helped pioneer early geological survey methods.-Biography:...
medal awarded in memory of the school's founder. Turner was demonstrator at Mason Science College
Mason Science College
Mason Science College was founded by Josiah Mason in 1875, the buildings of which were opened in Edmund Street, Birmingham, England on 1 October 1880 by Thomas Henry Huxley...
from 1883, then 1887 lecturer in metallurgy
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
, a new science that "was to develop greatly under his guidance during the next forty years." From 1894-1902 he was Director of Technical Instruction to Staffordshire County Council, but in 1902 was chosen as the first Professor of Metallurgy in the newly established University of Birmingham. He retired in 1926 but continued to publish and lecture.
His most notable work was seminal research in the influence of silicon in cast iron. He was a founder member of, and later president of the Institute of Metals, vice president of the Iron and Steel Institute, and on the Advisory Committee of the Imperial Institute.
Turner was active in the Christadelphian church and for many years was editor of the Fraternal Visitor magazine of the Suffolk Street fellowship. In this function he was also involved in support of the Gemeinde in Germany, corresponding with Albert Maier
Albert Maier
Albert Maier was the founder of the German Christadelphians.As a young man he had travelled to America, where he was converted to the Christadelphian church and taught by A. H. Zilmer, a German-speaking Christadelphian of Waterloo, Iowa...
and Ludwig von Gerdtell
Ludwig von Gerdtell
Friedrich Siegfried Heinrich Ludwig von Gerdtell was a German theologian associated with the Disciples of Christ movement....
.
Works
- The metallurgy of iron and steel 1895
- Practical metallurgy: an introductory course for general students 1919