James Charles Philip, 1873-1941

‘A Scotsman of the finest type; a true son of the manse; a man of simple faith and simple life, who gave all he could to others, and to whom duty was more important than worldly success and honours. There must be thousands of old students, all over the world, who remember him with gratitude and affection. They came to him with their troubles; he helped them to run their societies, played tennis with them, sang at their concerts. His last year of service was as full and fruitful as his first, he was active to within a few days of his death. He leaves no enmities behind him; only full hearts and happy friendships. Write him as one who loved his fellow men.’ In these words Sir Henry Tizard, F.R.S., Rector of the Imperial College, paid tribute inThe Times to J. C. Philip, shortly after his death on 6 August 1941: therein is portrayed the character of a finely balanced, greatly respected, kindly man. Philip, at the time of his death, was Professor Emeritus of Physical Chemistry and Deputy Rector of the Imperial College and President of the Chemical Society and had only just ceased to be President of the Society of Chemical Industry. James Charles Philip was born on 12 February 1873 the fifth and the youngest son of Reverend John Philip, D.D., who was Minister of the Free Church for many years at Fordoun, Kincardineshire. His mother, whose maiden name was Janet Morison Littlejohn, lived long enough to see all her family started in their careers. The father died in 1904 at the age of eighty-two. He was one of four brothers who were all ministers of religion. Neither father nor mother had relations who had been interested in scientific matters or professionally connected with engineering or with medicine, but their own family launched out into various professions. One of the brothers became a successful engineer, another a banker, another a schoolmaster, and only one a minister. That the youngest should seek a scientific career was something quite new in the family.