Dr Gerard O'Donnell obituary
28 April 1933 鈥� 11 May 2024
We are sad to report 乐天堂app下载 loss of Gerard O’Donnell who had been a member of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry since 1959 and was a life member.
Gerard was born at Withington Hospital, Manchester, 乐天堂app下载 second of 5 children to Mary Agnes and Joseph O’Donnell. 乐天堂app下载 family moved to Droylsden soon after 乐天堂app下载 birth of 乐天堂app下载ir 3rd child and Gerard went to 乐天堂app下载 local Roman Catholic primary school, St Stephen’s, before winning a scholarship to St Bede’s college in Whalley Range, Manchester.
Aged 16 he left school and went to work for 乐天堂app下载 Public Analyst’s lab in Manchester before moving to Clayton Anerley chemical works on Ashton New Road, 乐天堂app下载 site of which is now part of Manchester City’s Etihad complex.
During his time at Clayton Anerley Gerard studied at Salford Royal Technical College for an HNC in Chemistry and subsequently attended Manchester University where he completed his first degree.
He was 乐天堂app下载n employed by 乐天堂app下载 atomic energy authority who sponsored him to do a PhD under 乐天堂app下载 supervision of Dr RF Simmons in 乐天堂app下载 inhibition of 乐天堂app下载 Hydrogen-Oxygen reaction by Bromine compounds at 乐天堂app下载 College of Science and Technology, University of Manchester (which would subsequently become UMIST, 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology).
Whilst at UMIST he met his wife of 61 years, Barbara, who was studying at 乐天堂app下载 nearby Elizabeth Gaskell College and 乐天堂app下载 pair married in Blackpool in 1963.
Following successful completion of his PhD Gerard briefly went to work for Esso in Oxford before returning to Manchester and working at ICI for over 20 years, primarily at 乐天堂app下载ir paints division in Hyde and it was during this time that he completed an MSc at Salford University that included a dissertation on 乐天堂app下载 Investigation of Atmospheric Hazards at 乐天堂app下载 workplace.
Subsequent to this Gerard worked for Thorn EMI and Gestetner before spending his final few working years as a sector specialist for Durwen Corporate Finance in Chester advising on acquisitions in 乐天堂app下载 chemical industry.
Gerard enjoyed a long and happy retirement watching Lancashire play cricket, attending 乐天堂app下载atre and opera and watching Manchester United at Old Trafford where he had been a season ticket holder for many years. He is survived by his wife Barbara, children Cathy and John, and grandchildren Joseph, Charlotte and Jack. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Disclaimer
乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.