Francis Grimshaw Martin
Francis Grimshaw Martin (1878-1936)
1936 Obituary [1]
By the passing of Mr. Grimshaw Martin, on October 23, 1936, after only a few days' illness, many and varied circles on Merseyside have lost a well-known personality.
Mr. Martin was born in 1878 and received his scientific education at Mason's College, University of Birmingham, obtaining the B.Sc. degree of the School of Chemistry in 1907, and also the B.Sc. of London University in the same year.
He became an Associate of the Institute of Chemistry in 1910 and a Fellow of the same Institute in 1913.
Mr. Martin's first experiences in Liverpool were in the capacity of Chief Science Master at the Liverpool Collegiate School, which position he left in 1916 to organize and conduct the work of the laboratories of Messrs. Alfred Holt & Company, in connection with the Blue Funnel Line; in this position he became interested in the metallurgical side of chemistry.
During recent years he carried on an independent practice as Consulting Chemist and Metallurgist, in which he dealt largely with shipbuilding problems, for which his previous experience eminently fitted him.
Mr. Martin had a great capacity for appreciating and solving difficulties in scientific work and for explaining matters simply and clearly to others less thoroughly trained. He was a well-known member of the Liverpool Engineering Society, and the papers and lectures he gave before its members were typical of the man and enjoyable to his audiences. In these he gave instruction on metallurgical problems of particular interest to engineers, interwoven with wit and humour of a high order, in such a manner that none who heard him could fail to derive benefit and to acquire useful knowledge.
His most important scientific work was carried out in connection with the heat-treatment of mild steel for the production of steel plate specially suitable for shipbuilding purposes. As a member of the Institute of Metals, to which he was elected on March 13, 1918, Mr. Martin took a leading part in the organization of the Annual Autumn Meeting of the Institute held in Liverpool during September, 1928. On this occasion he delivered the Autumn Lecture of the Institute, which was a special feature of the Meeting, on "Non-Ferrous Metals in the Shipping Industry." C. O. BANNISTER.