Astbury, William Thomas, 1898-1961

Epithet: physicist and molecular biologist

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000837.0x0002b6

William Thomas Astbury was born at Longton, Stoke-on-Trent and educated at Longton High School and Jesus College, Cambridge, 1917, 1919-1921. He became a Demonstrator in Physics at University College, London, and worked there as assistant to Sir William Bragg, 1921-1923, and at the Royal Institution, London, 1923-1928. In 1922 he married Frances Gould. He was appointed Lecturer, 1928-1937, and then Reader, 1937-1945, in Textile Physics at Leeds University, where he became the first Professor of Biomolecular Structure at Leeds, 1945-1961. His work, mainly supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, was primarily on the structure of biological tissues and proteins, using X-ray diffraction analysis and electron microscopy. At one time Astbury's laboratory at Leeds was at the forefront of electron microscopy studies in Britain, and he was credited with the invention of the term 'molecular biology'. Astbury served on the editorial boards of many journals (including, from its inception, 'Biochimica et Biophysica Acta') and was a founder member of the Electron Microscopy Group of the Institute of Physics. He was a consultant to several industrial firms, such as British Celanese, Courtaulds and Imperial Chemical Industries. He was elected FRS in 1940 (Croonian Lecture 1945).

From the guide to the Further papers of Professor William Thomas Astbury, ca.1920-1961, (Leeds University Library)

Molecular biologist.

From the description of Letters to Albert Charles Chibnall, 1933-1942. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81192660

William Thomas Astbury was born in 1898 in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, and educated at Longton High School. After graduating from Jesus College, Cambridge in 1921, he became a Demonstrator in Physics at University College, London, and Assistant to Sir William Bragg. In 1922 he married Frances Gould. He continued in his Assistantship until 1928, when he moved to Leeds, becoming a lecturer in Textile Physics. In 1937 he became a Reader, in 1940 he was elected to the Royal Society, and in 1945 became Professor of Biomolecular Structure in the University of Leeds until his death in 1961.

From the guide to the The fundamental structure of textile fibres: six university extension lectures for textile students and all interested; delivered at the Spenborough Technical School, Cleckheaton, January to March 1932, by W.T. Astbury, with an introduction by Sir William Bragg, 1932, (GB 206 Leeds University Library)

From the guide to the Letters of William Thomas Astbury, 1933-1942, (GB 206 Leeds University Library)

Worked as assistant to W. H. Bragg at University College, London, 1921-1923, and the Royal Institution, London, 1923-1928. He was appointed Lecturer, 1928-1937, and then Reader, 1937-1945, in Textile Physics at Leeds University, where he became the first Professor of Biomolecular Structure, 1945-1961. His work, mainly supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, was primarily on the structure of biological tissues and proteins, using X-ray diffraction analysis and electron microscopy. At one time Astbury's laboratory at Leeds was at the forefront of electron microscopy studies in Britain, and he was credited with the invention of the term 'molecular biology.' Astbury served on the editorial boards of many journals (including from its inception, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta) and was a founder member of the Electron Microscopy Group of the Institute of Physics. He was elected FRS in 1940.

From the description of Papers and correspondence, 1914-1961. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78036791

William Thomas Astbury was born at Longton, Stoke-on-Trent and educated at Longton High School and Jesus College, Cambridge, 1917, 1919-1921. He became a Demonstrator in Physics at University College, London, and worked there as assistant to Sir William Bragg, 1921-1923, and at the Royal Institution, London, 1923-1928. In 1922 he married Frances Gould. He was appointed Lecturer, 1928-1937, and then Reader, 1937-1945, in Textile Physics at Leeds University, where he became the first Professor of Biomolecular Structure at Leeds, 1945-1961. His work, mainly supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, was primarily on the structure of biological tissues and proteins, using X-ray diffraction analysis and electron microscopy. At one time Astbury's laboratory at Leeds was at the forefront of electron microscopy studies in Britain, and he was credited with the invention of the term 'molecular biology'. Astbury served on the editorial boards of many journals (including, from its inception, 'Biochimica et Biophysica Acta') and was a founder member of the Electron Microscopy Group of the Institute of Physics. He was a consultant to several industrial firms, such as British Celanese, Courtaulds and Imperial Chemical Industries. He was elected FRS in 1940 (Croonian Lecture 1945)

From the guide to the Papers and correspondence of William Thomas Astbury, 1898-1961, 1914-1961, (Brotherton Library, University of Leeds)