Henry Enfield Roscoe: The Campaigning Chemist

Little known today, Henry Enfield Roscoe was one of the most prominent chemists and educational reformers in Victorian Britain. Having studied in Heidelberg, he worked to transform English education by using Germany as a model. He made Owens College, Manchester, viable and converted it into Victoria University (now the University of Manchester). He then campaigned for the reform of technical education in an alliance with like-minded campaigners which resulted in the Technical Instruction Act of 1889. Roscoe was also the Liberal MP for South Manchester between 1885 and 1895, one of the few academic chemists to become a member of the House of Commons. In his "retirement," he helped found the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine. Yet, despite his extensive impact on Britain at the time and our society today, he remains largely forgotten. In this detailed biography, authors Morris and Reed provide a timely and original contribution to the history of nineteenth-century British science and its relation to education, industry, and government policy, highlighting Roscoe's significant contributions and legacy as one of the leading scientists of his generation.