James Ballantyne Hannay FRSE(1855–1931) was a Scottish chemist who believed he had synthesized

diamond Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...

in 1880. However, modern testing showed that the surviving samples from his experiments were natural diamond, not synthetic. While his techniques were conducive to diamond formation, modern diamond production – not achieved until the 1950s – requires capabilities not available in Hannay's time. Hannay was also known for making precision instruments.

Life

James Ballantyne Hannay was born at 22 Monteith Row in Glasgow on New Year's Day, 1855. His father was Alexander Hannay, tool-maker, who owned property in

Helensburgh Helensburgh (; gd, Baile Eilidh) is an affluent coastal town on the north side of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the Gareloch. Historically in Dunbartonshire, it became part of Argyll and Bute following local gove ...

and who was the proprietor of the Prince of Wales Theatre, later rebuilt as the Grand Theatre, in

Cowcaddens Cowcaddens ( sco, Coucaddens, gd, Coille Challtainn)
...

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

. James Hannay became a chemist and was a prolific innovator. He published several scientific papers and took out over 70 patents in Britain, Europe and the USA. He also formed his own patents company in Glasgow. His most controversial scientific work, which was also his best known, related to his claim, made in 1880, that he had successfully synthesised diamonds. These claims have been investigated by a number of scientists including Sir Robert Robertson, (1869–1949) the first person to establish that two types of natural diamond existed, who took a great personal interest in them. In 1876 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were

Thomas Edward Thorpe Sir Thomas Edward Thorpe CB, FRS H FRSE LLD (8 December 1845 – 23 February 1925) was a British chemist. From 1894 to 1909 he was Chief Chemist to the British Government, as Director of the Government Laboratory. Early life and education Th ...

, William Dittmar,

William Thomson, Lord Kelvin William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, (26 June 182417 December 1907) was a British mathematician, mathematical physicist and engineer born in Belfast. Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Glasgow for 53 years, he did important ...

and

Alexander Crum Brown Alexander Crum Brown FRSE FRS (26 March 1838 – 28 October 1922) was a Scottish organic chemist. Alexander Crum Brown Road in Edinburgh's King's Buildings complex is named after him. Early life and education Crum Brown was born at 4 Belle ...

. In the later years of his life Hannay turned away from scientific investigation and moved his attention to examining aspects of the origin and development of

religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...

and published a number of works critical of the Hebrew Scriptures. James Ballantyne Hannay died in 1931. A collection of archives relating to Hannay was collected by Sir Robert Robertson. These were given to the

University of Dundee , mottoeng = "My soul doth magnify the Lord" , established = 1967 – gained independent university status by Royal Charter1897 – Constituent college of the University of St Andrews1881 – University College , ...

by Sir Robert's son, Robert H. S. Robertson, who himself carried out much research into the life and career of James Hannay. These records are now held by the University's Archive Services. The University also holds the archives of his father Alexander Hannay.

References

External links

Heritage: The Case of the Hannay Diamonds. New Scientist, 21 February 1980, p. 591. * http://www.helensburghheroes.com/heroes/james_ballantyne_hannay * http://clanhannay.com/ClanHannay/history/51602-1983/1J_B_Hannay.asp Scottish chemists 1855 births 1931 deaths Scientists from Glasgow {{Chemist-stub