most amiable guest, so when Robert passed away just six months later Dr
Sims was surprised. Robert’s illness was quite short, Dr Sims didn’t even
know that he had been taken to Wycombe hospital, and when he ‘popped
over’ to St. Helier the morning of Robert’s death, a nurse or carer
13 there told
him that he had died a just few hours earlier. Dr Sims had no recollection of
the funeral, or where it was held, he didn’t go, and as far as he was aware
neither did anyone else.
But there was just one more question—an opinion really—and so I asked
… ‘Dr Sims, from what I know of Robert, I’m not really sure he would have
approved of what I’m doing’. Sitting bolt upright in his chair and facing me
square on, he said of his friend, ‘Well … if he didn’t, he would have told you!
…’. But then, slowly settling back, smiling wryly and winking, he added …
‘but nicely …’. On that note I left, and three years later I completed my story
of Robert Le Rossignol, his life with Haber, his triumphs and his tragedies,
and his forgotten benevolence.
And Robert, in my life, I’ve only ever had a few humble dreams, writing
this book was one of them, and by fulfilling my dream I only hope that I have
told your story honestly, that I have in some small way helped to give you the
recognition you should have had in your lifetime, and that along the way, I
haven’t hurt anyone.
And after all, isn’t that the best kind of dream?
Notes
1. R. C. Chirnside, ‘Robert Le Rossignol, 1884–1976’, Chemistry in Britain, 13,
269–271, (1977).
2. Wills are of course public documents. All the Wills in this work were
obtained from, UK Documents, 29 Bunning Way, Islington, London, N7
9UP. (http://ukdocuments.com).
3. ‘Slough’, is a poem from Betjeman’s 1937 collection, Continual Dew. In it he
bemoans the hundreds of factories, the ‘trading estates’ and the dumped
surplus war materials that sprang up there just after the second world war. He
exhorts; ‘Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough! It isn’t fit for humans now,
there isn’t grass to graze a cow. Swarm over, Death! …’ an observation not really
targeted at Slough in particular, but more at the march of ‘modernity’ into
our lives.
4. Expressed in his Will.
5. Although as Christopher pointed out to me, the ‘non-denominational
requirement’ strictly applied to potential tenants and was not intended to
cover Trustees or Management. The fact that Muspratt was an Anglican had
510
D. Sheppard
Sims was surprised. Robert’s illness was quite short, Dr Sims didn’t even
know that he had been taken to Wycombe hospital, and when he ‘popped
over’ to St. Helier the morning of Robert’s death, a nurse or carer
13 there told
him that he had died a just few hours earlier. Dr Sims had no recollection of
the funeral, or where it was held, he didn’t go, and as far as he was aware
neither did anyone else.
But there was just one more question—an opinion really—and so I asked
… ‘Dr Sims, from what I know of Robert, I’m not really sure he would have
approved of what I’m doing’. Sitting bolt upright in his chair and facing me
square on, he said of his friend, ‘Well … if he didn’t, he would have told you!
…’. But then, slowly settling back, smiling wryly and winking, he added …
‘but nicely …’. On that note I left, and three years later I completed my story
of Robert Le Rossignol, his life with Haber, his triumphs and his tragedies,
and his forgotten benevolence.
And Robert, in my life, I’ve only ever had a few humble dreams, writing
this book was one of them, and by fulfilling my dream I only hope that I have
told your story honestly, that I have in some small way helped to give you the
recognition you should have had in your lifetime, and that along the way, I
haven’t hurt anyone.
And after all, isn’t that the best kind of dream?
Notes
1. R. C. Chirnside, ‘Robert Le Rossignol, 1884–1976’, Chemistry in Britain, 13,
269–271, (1977).
2. Wills are of course public documents. All the Wills in this work were
obtained from, UK Documents, 29 Bunning Way, Islington, London, N7
9UP. (http://ukdocuments.com).
3. ‘Slough’, is a poem from Betjeman’s 1937 collection, Continual Dew. In it he
bemoans the hundreds of factories, the ‘trading estates’ and the dumped
surplus war materials that sprang up there just after the second world war. He
exhorts; ‘Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough! It isn’t fit for humans now,
there isn’t grass to graze a cow. Swarm over, Death! …’ an observation not really
targeted at Slough in particular, but more at the march of ‘modernity’ into
our lives.
4. Expressed in his Will.
5. Although as Christopher pointed out to me, the ‘non-denominational
requirement’ strictly applied to potential tenants and was not intended to
cover Trustees or Management. The fact that Muspratt was an Anglican had
510
D. Sheppard