Sir James Irvine Orme Masson FRS

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and Literature, letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". ...

MBE LLD (3 September 1887 – 22 October 1962), generally known as Irvine Masson, was an Australian-born

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a graduated scientist trained in the study of chemistry, or an officially enrolled student in the field. Chemists study the composition of ...

of Scots descent who was Vice-Chancellor of the

University of Sheffield The University of Sheffield (informally Sheffield University or TUOS) is a public university, public research university in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Its history traces back to the foundation of Sheffield Medical School in 1828, Fir ...

from 1938 to 1953. He is usually referred to in documents as J. I. O. Masson.

Life

Irvine Masson was born in

Toorak Toorak () is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Stonnington local government area. Toorak recorded a population of 12,817 at the 2021 census. The name ...

, near

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, the son of Sir David Orme Masson a professor of chemistry at

Melbourne University The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state of Victoria. Its ...

, and his wife, Mary Struthers. He went to

Melbourne Grammar School Melbourne Grammar School is an Australian private school, private Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican Day school, day and boarding school. It comprises a co-educational preparatory school from Prep to Year 6 and a middle school and senior s ...

then Melbourne University, achieving a BSc with first class honours in

chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...

in 1908. He began medical studies, but reverted to chemistry and in 1910 took up a scholarship in the subject at

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

joining the staff in 1913. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he did explosives research at the

Royal Arsenal The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich is an establishment on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England, that was used for the manufacture of armaments and ammunition, proof test, proofing, and explosives research for ...

Woolwich Woolwich () is a town in South London, southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was mainta ...

, a practical experience very different from his previous academic work, but which had a major influence on his future research. After further time at University College, in 1924 he was made Professor of Chemistry at the

University of Durham Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charter in 1837. It was the first recognised university to ...

, also taking on the role of head of the Department of Pure Science. During this time he was lucky to survive one of his experiments which destroyed much of the laboratory. This administrative role led to his appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield in 1938. However he combined this with running research on explosives during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. In 1939 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of London The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, r ...

. He was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

by King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952 ...

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...

. In 1953 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...

. His proposers were

Arthur Holmes Arthur Holmes (14 January 1890 – 20 September 1965) was an English geologist who made two major contributions to the understanding of geology. He pioneered the use of radiometric dating of minerals, and was the first earth scientist to gras ...

, Sir

Godfrey Thomson Sir Godfrey Hilton Thomson FRSE DCL (27 March 1881 – 9 February 1955) was an English educational psychologist known as a critical pioneer in intelligence research. The Godfrey Thomson Unit for Research at Moray College in Edinburgh is name ...

, Sir Sydney A Smith, and

John Edwin MacKenzie John Edwin MacKenzie FRSE OBE (1868-1955) was a Scottish chemist. Life He was born in Helensburgh on 31 August 1868. He was educated at Larchfield Academy in Helensburgh, where his father was headmaster. He studied chemistry at the University ...

. In 1952 he retired from Sheffield and moved to Edinburgh, where both he and his wife had other family connections. He died in Edinburgh on 22 October 1962. He is buried in the

Grange Cemetery The Grange (originally St Giles' Grange) is an affluent suburb of Edinburgh, just south of the city centre, with Morningside and Greenhill to the west, Newington to the east, The Meadows park and Marchmont to the north, and Blackford Hi ...

in southern Edinburgh.

Family

Masson was the paternal grandson of

David Masson David Mather Masson (2 December 18226 October 1907), was a Scotland, Scottish academic, supporter of women's suffrage, literary critic and historian. Biography Masson was born in Aberdeen, the son of Sarah Mather and William Masson, a sto ...

and

Emily Rosaline Orme Emily Rosaline Orme (1835–1915) was a leader of the Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage. She was a noted campaigner for women's suffrage in Scotland. Early life Orme was born in 1835, one of eight children to parents Eliza Andrews ...

and maternal grandson of John Struthers. He was the nephew of Simon Somerville Laurie, Flora Masson and Rosaline Masson. Masson was the brother of

Marnie Bassett Flora Marjorie (''Marnie'') Bassett (30 June 1889 – 3 February 1980) was an Australian historian, biographer and travel writer. Her writing focussed on women's and family history, with particular attention to people from Australia. Earl ...

and

Elsie Rosaline Masson Elsie Rosaline Masson (1891–1935) was an Australian photographer, writer and traveller, best known as the wife of Polish-British anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski. She published ''An Untamed Territory: The Northern Territory of Australia'' in ...

. In 1913 he married his first cousin, Flora Gulland (d.1960) sister of

John Masson Gulland John Masson Gulland (14 October 1898 – 26 October 1947) was a Scottish chemist and biochemist. His main work was on nucleic acids, morphine and aporphine alkaloids. His work at University College Nottingham on electrometric titration was ...

. Their children included David Irvine Masson

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Masson, Irvine Academics from Melbourne Academics of Durham University Academics of the University of Sheffield Australian physical chemists Fellows of the Royal Society Members of the Order of the British Empire 1887 births 1962 deaths Explosives People educated at Melbourne Grammar School University of Melbourne alumni Knights Bachelor Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom Scientists from Melbourne Vice-chancellors of the University of Sheffield