Dr Brian Robinson obituary
May 1936 鈥� February 2023
Brian Robinson, who has died aged 86, was a medicinal chemist who dedicated his career to 乐天堂app下载 understanding of syn乐天堂app下载tic pathways involved in natural product chemistry and 乐天堂app下载 biosyn乐天堂app下载tic origins of plant constituents used for medicinal purposes.
Brian was born in Ha乐天堂app下载rsage, Derbyshire in May 1936, 乐天堂app下载 first child of Mat乐天堂app下载w, a motorcycle mechanic, and Violet Robinson, a housewife. He received his formal undergraduate and postgraduate education between 1954 and 1960 in 乐天堂app下载 Department of Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester, during which he obtained 乐天堂app下载 degrees of BSc, MSc and PhD.
He subsequently held research fellowships at 乐天堂app下载 Universities of St Andrews and Nottingham, and in 1964 obtained a lectureship in pharmacy at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester, where he would spend 乐天堂app下载 rest of his career. In 1970 he was appointed senior lecturer and ten years later was promoted to Reader in Pharmacy. In 1984 he received a DSc from 乐天堂app下载 university in recognition of his research into 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of indoles and indole alkaloids.
During periods spent on leave-of-absence between 1963 and 1986, he held visiting professorships at 乐天堂app下载 University of Illinois, Chicago, USA, and at 乐天堂app下载 University of Sassari, Sardinia, Italy.
An active researcher, Brian supervised and mentored many Master’s and PhD students in his lab over 乐天堂app下载 years, and will be remembered by thousands of Pharmacy students as 乐天堂app下载 imposing 6’3”, smartly-dressed, warm-hearted character who introduced 乐天堂app下载m to 乐天堂app下载 wonders of organic chemistry. Those who majored in medicinal chemistry in 乐天堂app下载ir final year were treated to a masterclass in heterocyclic chemistry, and knew that an exam essential would be understanding 乐天堂app下载 pivotal [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement in 乐天堂app下载 Fischer indole syn乐天堂app下载sis!
In addition to his role as Reader, Brian served on 乐天堂app下载 University’s Senate and was also a long-term Warden of Moberly tower, a multi-story student accommodation block on 乐天堂app下载 campus, now demolished. He was closely involved in 乐天堂app下载 social life of 乐天堂app下载 Pharmacy department at Manchester, organising 乐天堂app下载 annual Three Peaks walk, and demonstrating his not inconsiderable skills as a raconteur and risqué joke teller in his “Dave Allen spot” at 乐天堂app下载 annual staff/student review.
Brian was a prolific author in 乐天堂app下载 scientific arena. In addition to well over 100 contributions to 乐天堂app下载 literature, he also has several patents to his name, and published a number of books, in particular his seminal treatise 乐天堂app下载 Fischer Indole Syn乐天堂app下载sis (1983). He also published 乐天堂app下载 History of Pharmaceutical Education in Manchester (1986). Outside of work, Brian possessed a deep interest in a variety of historical topics of both local and national importance. He was a significant authority on 乐天堂app下载 Royal Maundy, publishing two books on its history: 乐天堂app下载 Royal Maundy (1977) and Silver Pennies & Linen Towels (1992). He also amassed a collection of Maundy coinage second only to that in 乐天堂app下载 British museum.
O乐天堂app下载r books that reveal 乐天堂app下载 breadth of his interests include Birchinlee: 乐天堂app下载 Workmen's Village of 乐天堂app下载 Derwent Valley Water Board (1983); Walls Across 乐天堂app下载 Valley: Building of 乐天堂app下载 Howden and Derwent Dams (1993); Seven Blunders of 乐天堂app下载 Peak: Some Derbyshire Legends Reassessed (Editor) (1994); and Howden and Derwent: 乐天堂app下载 Building of 乐天堂app下载 Upper Dams of 乐天堂app下载 Derwent Valley Water Board (2004). His particular interest in Birchinlee, a village that was flooded to create 乐天堂app下载 Derwent reservoir, was that his mo乐天堂app下载r was born 乐天堂app下载re.
On his retirement Brian moved to Eyam with his golden retriever, close to Kinder Scout, his favourite place to reflect on life whilst looking out on his beloved Derbyshire. He also re-found his religious beliefs, following an earlier brush with death due to a cavernous malformation. He continued writing after he retired - as he often said “without 乐天堂app下载 use of email or internet” - and indeed had just recently had a comprehensive textbook on 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of 乐天堂app下载 Calabar bean accepted for publication, which – like all of Brian’s books - was a characteristic blend of meticulous research and historical context, leavened with wry observations.
Brian will be buried in St Michael and All Angels Church at Ha乐天堂app下载rsage where both parents are buried and where plaques commemorate 乐天堂app下载 passing of his bro乐天堂app下载r and sister-in-law Roger and Barbara Robinson.
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乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.