MOSS, Gerry (fl 1966-)

Papers of Gerry Moss (fl 1966-2018), Professor of Chemistry. The papers relate to research into the history of the college, production of the college's official pictorial centenary history book, 'From Palace to College', and the chemistry department at Queen Mary College.

Contains photographs and images relating to the College and its activities from throughout its history; College publications and memorabilia from events; papers relating to the College archives, enquiries into the history of the College and talks and exhibitions on the history of the College; research notes and photocopies relating to the history of the College and the Mile End site; papers relating to the production of 'From Palace to College' which Moss worked on with Mike Saville; academic papers co-authored by Moss on organic chemistry.

The papers of the Chemistry department include departmental information and brochures; memorabilia from events; papers relating to the construction of the new chemistry building in the 1960s; research and teaching activities; information on former staff and students.

There are also papers of or relating to the following individuals, mostly connected with the chemistry department or the College: John Herbert Buteaux Bennett; Grace Mary Buckton; R F Garwood; Dorothea Mona Grove; Wilfred John Hickinbottom; John Theodore Hewitt; John Allen Howe; David Charles Jones; Arthur Pillans Laurie; Raymond James Wood Le Ferve; Duncan Scott MacNair; R A Massy-Wetropp; James Riddick Partington; Arthur Ernest Pitt; Grahame Williams.

Gerry Moss graduated from Imperial College, London and studied for his PhD at the University of Cambridge. After postdoctoral work at Colombia University, New York and Imperial College he was appointed a lecturer in Organic Chemistry at Queen Mary College in 1966. His research work focussed on the chemistry of carotenoids, vitamin A and related compounds. He later became Senior Lecturer, and is now an Associate Academic in the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences.

His specialism is in chemical nomenclature, especially organic and biochemical nomenclature. He is a consultant for the World Health Organisation which names all new International Non-Proprietary Names (all new drugs), Chairman of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) Joint Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature. He is a former chairman of the IUPAC Commission on Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry and was President of IUPAC Division VIII.

Moss worked on the official pictorial history of the college, 'From Palace to College', with Mike Saville in the mid-1980s for the College's one hundredth anniversary. Moss's interest in the history of the college, particularly the chemistry department, dates back to the late 1960s and creating pictorial displays for visitors to the college. He also acted as the Chemistry department's archivist, acquiring information particularly in relation to former staff and students.

The collection has been arranged by the cataloguer into six series and two sub-fonds based on subject matter or type of material.

Mostly open. The Archives are available for access in the Archives Reading Room located on the 2nd Floor of the Mile End Library. The Archives Reading Room is open Mondays to Fridays 9am-4pm by appointment only. Contact the Archives for more information: Archives, Main Library QMUL, 328 Mile End Rd, London E1 4NS, telephone: 020 7882 3873, email: archives@qmul.ac.uk . For more information about the Archives see the website: library.qmul.ac.uk/archives

Donated by Gerry Moss following the completion of From Palace to College .

Archives catalogue

Applications for copies for research or publication should be made to the Archivist: Main Library QMUL, 328 Mile End Rd, London E1 4NS, telephone: 020 7882 7873, email: archives@qmul.ac.uk .

Most of the papers were created or acquired by Moss in the course of his research into the history of the college. The papers in GM/8 mostly seem to have been acquired by Moss in his capacity as archivist for the chemistry department.

From Palace to College by Gerry Moss and M V Saville, (1985.)