Dyson Perrins Laboratory - Central Administration - University of ...

2.2 History of the Dyson Perrins LaboratoryThe Dyson Perrins Laboratory has its origins in the 1909 Committee on University Teachingin Chemistry. Historically Chemistry teaching had been confined to various collegelaboratories. A University Chemistry Laboratory was constructed alongside the UniversityMuseum in 1855-60. This was known as the Abbot’s Kitchen, being based on the fourteenthcenturyAbbot’s Kitchen at Glastonbury. Unsurprisingly, being based on mediaevalecclesiastical models rather than the purpose-built laboratories at that time appearing on theContinent, this building was quickly insufficient for its needs. It was heavily extended in1878, with a far-more-practical teaching laboratory, which, whilst no longer up to modernstandards, remains in use to this day. 4 This alleviated the problem somewhat but by the earlytwentieth century chemistry teaching and research in Oxford was woefully inadequate, andhad long since been overtaken in academic stature by Manchester University.The 1909 Committee on University Teaching in Chemistry reported that ‘the provision madeat present by the University for the teaching and study of chemistry is inadequate, both inrespect of the staff and as regards laboratory accommodation…The committee recommendsas urgently needed: Two University Professors at £900 a year, one assigned to the subject oforganic chemistry and the other to that of inorganic chemistry.’ The Committeerecommended that a new building should be constructed to house the two laboratories andthat it should be located on University property, close to the University Museum, and withsufficient space for future expansion. 5The Hebdomadal Council estimated that £25,000 would be required to construct the requiredlaboratory and it petitioned the University Endowment Fund in March 1910 for the necessaryresources. The funds were by no means easily obtained. It was not until William Odling, theWaynflete Professor of Chemistry, announced his retirement in 1912 that the conservativeUniversity Chest would meet the requests of the liberal Hebdomadal Council. It was agreedthat a new laboratory would be constructed and the University Chest made £15,000 available.An organic chemist, W.H. Perkin held the Chair of Chemistry at Manchester University, theleading chemistry department in Great Britain, and in 1909 had designed, with PaulWaterhouse, Manchester’s Morley Laboratory. The specifications for this were based onPerkin’s experience of Adolf von Baeyer’s laboratory in Munich, where he had worked as adoctoral student. Perkin was initially invited to Oxford in 1912 as an Elector for Odling’sreplacement, though it was quickly made clear that he was the preferred option for theWaynflete Chair, prompting him to resign his Electorship to stand as a candidate. 6 Researchwas Perkin’s first priority and, when the Electors offered the rôle to him in November 1912,he accepted on the condition that he should be provided with a new laboratory and that in themeantime he should be given a fully-equipped temporary laboratory in the UniversityMuseum.4 Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory: Conservation Plan (Estates Services, January 2012).5 Curtis, R., Leith, C., Nall, J., and Jones, J., The Dyson Perrins Laboratory and Oxford Organic Chemistry1916-2004 (Oxford, 2008) 15-16.6 Ibid, 17.The Dyson Perrins Laboratory, Oxford 14Conservation Plan, May 2012