| Description | A collection of biographical material written by Sir James Baddiley discussing his life, scientific work and interests including loose papers, one bound volume, photographs of Sir James and four CD-R data discs. It covers some of Baddiley's academic work, including a copy of Baddiley's thesis, presented to the Victoria University of Manchester for his Master of Science degree in 1942, and a copy of his PhD thesis, 'Synthesis of purine nucleotides', presented to the Victoria University of Manchester 1944. A 1975 edition of 'Analytcal and preparitive methods used in the microbiological chemistry research laboratory' is also present.
It includes material relating to 'The Toddlers', a private publication created by the members of Lord Alexander Todd's research group, inlcuding a publication with an introduction by Lord Alexander Todd and collections of personal and informal accounts written by the members of Todd's research group, including: Frank Atherton; James Baddiley; John Davoll; Ralph Gilson; Cedric Hasall; Anthony Holland; George Howard; Harold Howard; Roy Hull; Lex Lyons; Basil Lythgoe; Barbara Mann; Denis Marrian; Hal Openshaw; Peter Russell; Peter Sykes; Arthur Topham and Norman Whittaker.
There are other documents relating to Lord Todd including two magazine articles, one of which written by James Baddiley, as well as a draft obituary and copy of obituary in The Times (21 January 2004) relating to the death of 'Toddler' Dr Peter Sykes. Two VHS video tapes are present, titled 'Conversations with Eminent Biochemists - James Baddiley in conversation with H L Kornberg' which were recorded on 24 and 25 October 1990.
The collection includes a number of items relating to James Baddiley, Sir James Baddiley's father. These include a bound volume, compiled by friends and colleagues with signatures to commemorate his thirty eight years work as a chemist with Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd, Dyestuffs Division 1909-1947. Photographs of James Baddiley Senior, newspaper articles and 'The Rise and Development of the Coal-Tar Colour Industry' a handwritten essay presented to the University of Leeds, 31 January 1918. There is also a large collection of condolence letters to the Baddiley family after the death of James Baddiley Senior and obituary notices.
A more recent collection of correspondence and lecture material is also included, relating to the Inaugural Baddiley Lecture 2008 at Newcastle Upon Tyne University. |
| Arrangement | The collection has been arranged as follows:
JB/1 Professional Papers, including academic work, published material, and 'The Toddlers'
JB/2 Personal Papers, including biographical information and some papers of James Baddiley Senior
JB/3 Lectures, including papers relating to the Baddiley Lecture and other lecture materials |
| AdminHistory | Sir James Baddiley was born on the 15th May 1918, the son of James Baddiley and Ivy Logan Cato. Baddiley attended Manchester Grammar School in 1929 prior to enrolling on the Honours Chemistry course at the Univeristy of Manchester where he graduated with a First Class degree in Chemistry in 1941. Baddiley's research on the structure and synthesis of nucleosides and nucleotides with Professor Alexander R Todd led to degrees of Master of Science in 1942 and Ph.d in 1944.
Baddiley's main research field was the biosynthesis, structure and biological function of various biochemical compounds, especially the discovery of teichoic acids, major components of cell wall structure of bacteria. He published around 300 research papers in major journals on nucleosides, nucleotides and coenzymes. First structurally definitive synthesis of ADP and ATP, structure of coenzyme A, and discovery, isolation, structure, biosynthesis, immunological properties and function of teichoic acids in the walls and membranes of Gram-positive bacteria.
In 1944 he married Hazel Mary Townsend, daughter of Wesley Wilfred Townsend and Ann Rayner Townsend (nee Kilner), and had one son, Christopher James in 1947. Sir James Baddiley died aged ninety in Cambridge on 17 November 2008. |