Framed by a Smoking Gun – periodically.blog

School closures

I had a lovely time on Zoom last week with the Ilkeston and District Local History Society. To prepare for the talk I was looked back at Brian Shaw’s childhood in the town and it struck me that the school closures and lockdowns of the current time would have been a much more familiar scenarioContinue reading “School closures”

Memory lane

It’s great to see that last month’s review in Chemistry World is prompting happy memories of Brian’s lectures and entertaining conversation – see Dinner and a demonstration from Ian Dale in this month’s Letters: https://www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/letters-august-2020/4012167.article

Chemistry World

First posted on FB 05/06/2020 Delighted to be reviewed in Chemistry World, the membership magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry. To quote Professor Bill Griffith, “an enchanting memoir… a joy to read, clearly written and fully reference with an excellent index.” (Given that I did the indexing myself, I’m pretty chuffed with it beingContinue reading “Chemistry World”

Periodic Table of Nottingham

First posted on FB 14/03/2020 When I was in Nottingham last year I took a quick snap of the Periodic Table of Nottingham where all element symbols stand for something associated with the city. I looked at sulfur, S, to see if it stood for Shaw (but it is Standard Hill) but didn’t have timeContinue reading “Periodic Table of Nottingham”

A demo with impact

First posted on FB 14/03/2020 Here is Jim demonstrating the explosive power of an intimate mixture of potassium chlorate and phosphorous (the heap of white powder). Shaw devised a method to mix these two compounds safely and always cautioned that it is NOT an experiment to try at home, saying “You may start such anContinue reading “A demo with impact”

Science festival blues

First posted on FB 13/03/2020 Here in Cambridge we are sorry to be missing the usual Science Festival fun this year – everything is cancelled for obvious reasons. So to satisfy anyone who has a need for a few chemistry demos, here are some photos from my launch event back in October. I’ll see ifContinue reading “Science festival blues”

A royal visit

First posted on FB 16/02/2020 Brian Shaw was present at the visit of King George V and Queen Mary. At this ceremony in the Market Square they opened the new Ilkeston County Secondary School where he was a pupil. They apparently pressed a button which opened the school gates some 800 yards away. An explosiveContinue reading “A royal visit”

Letters of Hope

Hope Robinson was the wife of Brian’s second-in-command in Normandy in 1949, Paul Robinson. In many ways Brian was fortunate to fall into German hands, as Paul Robinson and the rest of the battalion were posted to the Far East, captured, and endured much worse conditions. Hope drew attention to their plight and gave greatContinue reading “Letters of Hope”

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

First posted on 11/02/2020 Today is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2020. I don’t know much about how Brian Shaw encouraged women in chemistry, but I do know that he was very keen for them to take up rifle shooting. In the 1930s he established a women’s section of the UniversityContinue reading “International Day of Women and Girls in Science”

Chemistry at the RI

First posted on FB 28/12/2019 This year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures begin broadcasting tonight on BBC4 at 8pm, from the famous lecture theatre in which B D Shaw gave a Friday Evening Discourse in 1969. This year’s lectures are on maths but if you fancy something more reminiscent of Shaw, then three given by chemists,Continue reading “Chemistry at the RI”