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George Smith 1895–1967
GEOR GE SMITH
President 191-6
Vol. 50, Part 3
September 1967
Trans. Br. mycol, Soc. 50 (3),339-34° (1967) Printed in Great Britain
OBITUARY GEORGE Sr-.lITH 1895-1967 George Smith, who died on 29 March aged 7 I years, had been a member of the British Mycological Society for 31 years, and served as President in 1946. He displayed a keen interest in forays, being Foray Secretary from 1950 to 1952 and served on the Foray Committee for several years thereafter. He started life as a chemist, graduating with rst Class Honours and the Leblanc Medal from the Victoria University, Manchester, in 1916. He obtained his M.Sc. and A.I.C. in 1918, for work on the analysis of steels and coal tar. He also worked on poison gases at this time. In 1919 he started a laboratory for a cotton manufacturing firm, where he met the problem of mildew on cotton goods. This involved the isolation and identification of moulds which later became his chief work. In 1930 George Smith joined Prof. H. Raistrick as research assistant in the department of biochemistry at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where he remained in various positions till his retirement in 1961. Although the work of this department was the study of the substances produced by fungi, he became more and more involved in the taxonomy and care of the fungal cultures. This interest in fungal taxonomy and his experience as a works chemist prompted him in 1939 to produce the first edition of his book Industrial Mycology. This book, with its magnificent photomicrographs, gathered together the information, much of it original, which hitherto scientists working in industry had found difficult to obtain. He used this knowledge and experience during the Second World War when investigating the tropic proofing of military and naval equipment. On retirement he continued his studies on moulds at the Commonwealth Mycological Institute till 1965. As well as his book and many short papers on taxonomy he produced in collaboration, monographs on the genera Paecilomyces and Scopulariopsis. His work was largely research, but he ran courses in microbiology and biochemistry and supervised research students. He was patient, helpful and encouraging to his students and never grudged time spent discussing their problems. Everything he did was undertaken with painstaking care and meticulous attention to detail. He liked working with young people and acted as instructor to the Air Training Corps in navigation and as examiner in music to the Harrow School's Boy Scouts. One of his favourite activities was his annual foray to Ruislip Woods, at which pupils from local schools were particularly welcome. His interests were diverse, covering all branches of science and philosophy from astronomy to mythology. He enjoyed making things and using and Vol. 50, Part 2, was issued 28 JUlie 1967 22
lVlyc.5 0
34°
Transactions British Mycological Society
devising tools. He was an accomplished musician, outstanding accompanist and his knowledge of classical music was profound. A quiet, retiring man, kind and considerate, he will be much missed by his friends. He leaves a widow, two sons, one of whom is a biochemist, and six grandchildren, who were the delight of his last few years. AGNES H. S. ONIONS
President 191-6
Vol. 50, Part 3
September 1967
Trans. Br. mycol, Soc. 50 (3),339-34° (1967) Printed in Great Britain
OBITUARY GEORGE Sr-.lITH 1895-1967 George Smith, who died on 29 March aged 7 I years, had been a member of the British Mycological Society for 31 years, and served as President in 1946. He displayed a keen interest in forays, being Foray Secretary from 1950 to 1952 and served on the Foray Committee for several years thereafter. He started life as a chemist, graduating with rst Class Honours and the Leblanc Medal from the Victoria University, Manchester, in 1916. He obtained his M.Sc. and A.I.C. in 1918, for work on the analysis of steels and coal tar. He also worked on poison gases at this time. In 1919 he started a laboratory for a cotton manufacturing firm, where he met the problem of mildew on cotton goods. This involved the isolation and identification of moulds which later became his chief work. In 1930 George Smith joined Prof. H. Raistrick as research assistant in the department of biochemistry at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where he remained in various positions till his retirement in 1961. Although the work of this department was the study of the substances produced by fungi, he became more and more involved in the taxonomy and care of the fungal cultures. This interest in fungal taxonomy and his experience as a works chemist prompted him in 1939 to produce the first edition of his book Industrial Mycology. This book, with its magnificent photomicrographs, gathered together the information, much of it original, which hitherto scientists working in industry had found difficult to obtain. He used this knowledge and experience during the Second World War when investigating the tropic proofing of military and naval equipment. On retirement he continued his studies on moulds at the Commonwealth Mycological Institute till 1965. As well as his book and many short papers on taxonomy he produced in collaboration, monographs on the genera Paecilomyces and Scopulariopsis. His work was largely research, but he ran courses in microbiology and biochemistry and supervised research students. He was patient, helpful and encouraging to his students and never grudged time spent discussing their problems. Everything he did was undertaken with painstaking care and meticulous attention to detail. He liked working with young people and acted as instructor to the Air Training Corps in navigation and as examiner in music to the Harrow School's Boy Scouts. One of his favourite activities was his annual foray to Ruislip Woods, at which pupils from local schools were particularly welcome. His interests were diverse, covering all branches of science and philosophy from astronomy to mythology. He enjoyed making things and using and Vol. 50, Part 2, was issued 28 JUlie 1967 22
lVlyc.5 0
34°
Transactions British Mycological Society
devising tools. He was an accomplished musician, outstanding accompanist and his knowledge of classical music was profound. A quiet, retiring man, kind and considerate, he will be much missed by his friends. He leaves a widow, two sons, one of whom is a biochemist, and six grandchildren, who were the delight of his last few years. AGNES H. S. ONIONS