William Gemmell
William Gemmell (1885-1916)
1916 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM GEMMELL was born in Glasgow, March 1885.
His untimely death, which occurred at Silloth on 1st of September 1916, was due to burns resulting from an explosion which occurred whilst carrying out valuable work for his country.
He served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Tatlock & Thomson, public analysts, and later entered the employ of the Glasgow Corporation.
In 1906 he joined the staff of the Metallurgical Department of the National Physical Laboratory.
In 1912 he entered the service of Messrs. Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. Ltd., Newcastle-on-Tyne, as chief chemist.
Mr. Gemmell during his too short career was universally esteemed and highly respected by his employers and staff. He devoted much of his time to metallurgical chemistry, and had several original works to his credit, amongst which the following are to be found in the Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry:— (a) The determination of phosphorus in phosphor-tin. (b) The analysis of copper-tin alloys. (c) A special apparatus for the electrolytic determination of lead in brass.
He was connected with O. Smalley in a patent which has proved very successful in connection with high-speed cutting steels. His record of published work is not vast, but what achievement he had made gave great promise of a most successful career.
He was elected a member of the Institute in 1914.