by the kindness of Frederick Woodland Toms, Official Analyst to the States
of Jersey, who permitted Robert to carry out exercises in his laboratory—a
kindness that allowed him to acquire great skill in practical chemistry while
still a schoolboy, a skill which remained with him throughout his life.
Woodland Toms and Robert were acquainted through Robert’s father
Augustin,
23 who—like Woodland Toms—not only would have moved in the
same elevated social circles of Jersey’s ‘great and good’, but as Woodland
Toms’ son Humphrey was in medical practice in England, they would have
shared a common experience. Understanding the work of Woodland Toms
provides an insight into the influence he must have had on young Robert.
What follows is largely due to Bernard Dyer’s Obituary of Frederick
Woodland Toms which appeared in ‘The Analyst’, in October 1938. Dyer
was a contemporary of Woodland Toms with whom he maintained a lifelong
friendship.
Woodland Toms was educated at the City of London School and rapidly
developed a formidable chemistry pedigree. On leaving in 1875 he became a
pupil assistant to R. V. Tuson, Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Veterinary
College where he remained for two years, after which he went to the Royal
College of Science for three years, studying chemistry under Professor Edward
Frankland, to whom he acted as personal assistant, chiefly in matters relating
to water analysis. On Frankland’s recommendation he then went to Dr. (later
Sir) William Perkin
21 best known for his discovery of the first aniline dye,
‘Mauveine’, and in whose organic research laboratory at Sudbury he served
for two years. Following this he went to Guys Hospital London as senior
assistant in the physiological research laboratory where he remained until
1884, when he was appointed as the first resident Official Analyst to the
States of Jersey. The duties of which appointment he carried out with distinction for 47 years.
Woodland Toms was a versatile chemist exposed to the very best practises
of his time. The Jersey appointment allowed him to build a laboratory that
dealt with a wide variety of problems for which durable and practical solutions were required. This afforded him room for considerable innovation, for
example in connection with the laws relating to the adulteration of food.
The UK milk standards in force at the time—not having regard to the natural
richness of the milk of Jersey cattle—were problematic and he was eventually
successful in the official adoption of his own local standard which proved
more effective in preventing and detecting adulteration. Food and drug
analysis however, formed but one part of his work. His early experience at the
Veterinary College naturally led him to take an interest in those branches of
science that influenced agricultural practice. He had already contributed a
12
D. Sheppard
of Jersey, who permitted Robert to carry out exercises in his laboratory—a
kindness that allowed him to acquire great skill in practical chemistry while
still a schoolboy, a skill which remained with him throughout his life.
Woodland Toms and Robert were acquainted through Robert’s father
Augustin,
23 who—like Woodland Toms—not only would have moved in the
same elevated social circles of Jersey’s ‘great and good’, but as Woodland
Toms’ son Humphrey was in medical practice in England, they would have
shared a common experience. Understanding the work of Woodland Toms
provides an insight into the influence he must have had on young Robert.
What follows is largely due to Bernard Dyer’s Obituary of Frederick
Woodland Toms which appeared in ‘The Analyst’, in October 1938. Dyer
was a contemporary of Woodland Toms with whom he maintained a lifelong
friendship.
Woodland Toms was educated at the City of London School and rapidly
developed a formidable chemistry pedigree. On leaving in 1875 he became a
pupil assistant to R. V. Tuson, Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Veterinary
College where he remained for two years, after which he went to the Royal
College of Science for three years, studying chemistry under Professor Edward
Frankland, to whom he acted as personal assistant, chiefly in matters relating
to water analysis. On Frankland’s recommendation he then went to Dr. (later
Sir) William Perkin
21 best known for his discovery of the first aniline dye,
‘Mauveine’, and in whose organic research laboratory at Sudbury he served
for two years. Following this he went to Guys Hospital London as senior
assistant in the physiological research laboratory where he remained until
1884, when he was appointed as the first resident Official Analyst to the
States of Jersey. The duties of which appointment he carried out with distinction for 47 years.
Woodland Toms was a versatile chemist exposed to the very best practises
of his time. The Jersey appointment allowed him to build a laboratory that
dealt with a wide variety of problems for which durable and practical solutions were required. This afforded him room for considerable innovation, for
example in connection with the laws relating to the adulteration of food.
The UK milk standards in force at the time—not having regard to the natural
richness of the milk of Jersey cattle—were problematic and he was eventually
successful in the official adoption of his own local standard which proved
more effective in preventing and detecting adulteration. Food and drug
analysis however, formed but one part of his work. His early experience at the
Veterinary College naturally led him to take an interest in those branches of
science that influenced agricultural practice. He had already contributed a
12
D. Sheppard