Catalogue of the papers and correspondence of KENNETH BAILEY FRS (1909 - 1963) Compiled by Peter Harper and Timothy E. Powell Deposited in Cambridge University Library All rights reserved University of Bath 1988 K. Bailey NCUACS 4/3/88 The work of the National Cataloguing Unit for the Archives of Contemporary Scientists, and the production of this catalogue, are made possible by the support of the following societies and organisations: The Biochemical Society The British Library The City of Bath The Geological Society The Institute of Physics Pergamon Books The Royal Society The Royal Society of Chemistry Shell UK Ltd The Society of Chemical Industry K Bailey NcUACS 4/3/88 2 GENERAL INTRODUCTION PROVENANCE The material was received in February 1988 from S V Perry, Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry in the University of Birmingham and close colleague of Kenneth Bailey's for many years until his death in 1963. The arrival of the Bailey papers for cataloguing in the NCUACS's offices at Bath concluded enquiries first initiated by the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre in Oxford in 1975. OUTLINE OF CAREER OF KENNETH BAILEY He was born on 18 August 1909 at Alsager's Bank near Stoke-on-Trent. Scholarships took him to the Orme's Boys' School, Newcastle-under-Lyme 1922 and Birmingham University 1928 where he took the course on 'Biochemistry of fermentation' and embarked on research in carbohydrate biochemistry with R H Hopkins. in. 1933 his promise as a research worker was recognised by the award of a Beit Scientific Research Fellowship at Imperial College where he began a long association with A C Chibnall and developed research interests in protein biochemistry, the area in which he was to have such outstanding success. It was also at this time that he became acquainted with W T Astbury which led to intermittent scientific collaboration and a lifelong friendship. In the months before the outbreak of the Second World War Bailey's scientific outlook was broadened by a Rockefeller Travelling Grant to work in Edwin Cohn's laboratory at Harvard. Returning to England in December 1939 he worked for a time on anti-gas research at Porton before joining one of the groups on war projects at the K Bailey NCUACS 4/3/88 3 Low Temperature Research Station, Cambridge. He still managed to find time for his studies in protein and especially muscle bio- chemistry and these continued apace in the postwar years. His outstanding contributions were recognised in 1948 by his election to a Fellowship at Trinity College and his appointment as an Assistant Director of Research in the University of Cambridge and in 1953 by his election to the Fellowship of the Royal Society. Although he received frequent offers of chairs, he preferred to retain his post in Cambridge, spending most of his absences abroad at the Stazione Zoologica, Naples. In 1961 he was appointed University Reader in Biochemistry. The last seven years of Bailey's life were marred by recurrent illness including a complete breakdown in 1955. In the summer of 1962 during the acute phase of the depressive illness from which he suffered, he was arrested (in the company of a 19- year-old youth) for being in charge of a car while under the influence of drink: With more serious charges of indecent assault in the offing Bailey absconded from bail, taking refuge first at the Stazione Zoologica where his behaviour and state of mind gave great cause for concern, and later at Liége in Belgium. He was persuaded to return to England by S V Perry who broke a journey to Prague to discuss matters with Bailey and the journey back to collect him. Although the outcome of the trial in the magistrates' court was as satisfactory as could possibly be hoped for - Bailey pleaded guilty to the indecency charges and was bound over - his health remained precarious and his future uncertain. He returned to Cambridge in May 1963 for a short visit, but three days after his arrival committed suicide. Bailey's Times obituarist (S V Perry) summed up his scientific achievement and personal qualities: K Bailey NCUACS 4/3/88 4 Kenneth Bailey was one of the great protein chemists in the classical style, of many attainments, but whose main contributions lay in the muscle field with the discovery of the tropomyosins and in the chemistry of blood coagulation. him as a teacher, a colleague or as a friend he was much more a sensitive person of great humanity, a scientist who had more of the artist in him than most. Many students had good cause to be grateful for his generosity and his efforts on their behalf. To those who knew - Further details about Bailey's career and research can be found in A C Chibnall's Royal Society memoir (Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 10, 1-14) andSV Perry's obituary in Advances in Protein Chemistry, 20, XI - XVIII. DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION The surviving material presented here as a_ single chronological sequence is almost exclusively correspondence concerning the last few years of Bailey's life and regrettably does not reflect his scientific achievement. There is personal correspondence 1955 (letters to Bailey only) and scientific correspondence between Bailey and Perry 1960-61. The greater part of the correspondence, however, relates to the difficulties of Bailey's final year, 1962-63, arrangements after his death, appreciations, obituaries and so on. Non-correspondence items include Bailey's memorial address for W T Astbury 1961 and a little undated research material. K Bailey NCUACS 4/3/88 5 LOCATION OF OTHER MATERIAL In 1976 Professor A C Chibnall FRS lent the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre his file of Kenneth Bailey material and a note of its contents was made with his permission and the file returned for eventual deposit in Cambridge University Library with the rest of his papers. Much of the file concerned the preparation and writing of Chibnall's Royal Society memoir but also contained personal and scientific correspondence with Bailey: Invitation to write Memoir and material assembled for it: list of publications, Bailey's Royal Society printed obituaries, memorial service, personal record, list of references to Bailey in the Council minutes, Trinity College, Cambridge, note by Bailey 'The Trinity Picture Scheme' 2pp, 1953 (on system of hiring pictures for undergraduate rooms), 2 copies of Bailey's tribute to W T Astbury delivered at memorial service, 5pp, 1961. 1963-64. Alfred Pollard; Correspondence from colleagues and friends of Bailey, and their recollections of him Reginald order: Hadyn Hopkins (two letters), Professor at Birmingham University with whom Bailey worked in 1931; Joe Lugg (two letters), collaborator of Bailey 1936; Hans Neurath (two letters); also comments on Chibnall's draft of Royal Society Memoir In chronological Roland G Westall; John T Edsall; J.C Ruegg; Samuel Victor Perry; by S V Perry, F G Young. Letters of thanks to Chibnall for Royal Society Memoir, some with further recollections of Bailey, from: (1964); John D Ferry (1965); Alfred Pollard, Karl Schmid, Hans Neurath, Cyril M Kay, one letter from S V Perry (1967). S V Perry, F G Young In chronological order: Chibnall's personal and scientific correpondence with Bailey, 1932-62. References for Bailey for Commonwealth Scholarship 1934; Bailey's letters to Chibnall 1934 (2), 1935, 1936 (6 letters from Harvard Medical School describing research), 1944; Bailey's report on his 'Researches carried out during the tenure of an ICI Fellowship 1945-47'; K Bailey NCUACS 4/3/88 Letter from Astbury and reference from Chibnall for Royal Society Research Fellowship 1947; Correspondence of Chibnall with Vice Chancellor, Leeds University (Sir Charles Morris) re Bailey as candidate for Chair of Leather Industries 1949; Bailey's letter to Chibnall re his decision to decline Chair of Biochemistry at Sheffield University 1954; Bailey's letters to Chibnall on his work at Naples 1955, 1959; Letter to Bailey from N F Astbury with reminiscences of his brother WT A_ Letter from Bailey to Chibnall 1962. 1961; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are very grateful to Professor Perry for making the material available, for advice and encouragement, and for reading the draft. P Harper T E Powell Bath 1988 K Bailey Ncuacs 4/3/88 Personal correspondence, 1955. 5 letters all addressed to 'my dear Ken' and signed 'Desmond', and dated 'Tuesday before Easter 26 April, 13 May, 21 June and 5 November. Letters of 26 April, 13 May and 21 June refer to plans for Desmond to join Bailey in Naples during the summer. Scientific correspondence, 1960. S V Perry's carbons of his letters to Bailey dated 15 January, 2 February, 9 February, 11 May and 20 September and Bailey's undated longhand reply to Perry's 20 September letter. Correspondence relates to amino acid analyses of meromyosin preparations which Bailey arranged to have carried out in arrangements for Perry's lecture on Cambridge for Perry, protein biosynthesis to the Graduate Science Club in Cambridge and tropomyosin section of Annual Reviews [of Biochemistry] chapter which Perry was preparing. Scientific correspondence, 1961. Bailey's longhand letters of 26 January, 16 June, 23 June and 28 June and the carbons of Perry's letters of 2 February, 17 June and 27 July. Correspondence relates to muscle protein research, especially myosin sub-fragments, lectures, visits, thesis examining, with Bailey's letter of 16 June refers to his some personal news. giving the address at W T Astbury's memorial service. 'Tribute to WT Astbury, ScD., FRS., given by Kenneth Bailey at the Memorial Service, held in Emmanuel Church, June 153; 1961', 5pp typescript. Scientific correspondence, 1962. 1 letter only, 24 May, re Royal Society nomination. K Bailey NCUACS 4/3/88 6 - 12 Correspondence during the last year of Bailey's life, 1962-63, concerning his mental and legal problems, professional prospects etc., and the efforts made by his friends towards rehabilitation. Principal correspondents are Professors S V Perry, F G Young, RR Porter, A Neuberger and Jean Hanson, Dr Andrew Packard, Dorothy Needham, J R G Bradfield (Trinity College), M GM Pryor (Trinity College), Lord Adrian, Bailey's father and sister and legal advisers. Includes letter from F G Young to S V Perry 1962 July. with the news that 'today's (25 July) spilled the whole beans - more or less' letters of the same date to Bailey and Bailey's father assuring them of the willingness of his many friends to help in these difficult circumstances and the importance of a speedy return to England to get the whole matter settled. and copies of Young's "Daily Herald" had 1962 August. (1). Zoologica Naples to S V Perry, 9 August and copy letter from A Neuberger to A Packard, 16 August re Bailey's mental state, and future courses of action. Includes letter from A Packard at the Stazione Includes correspondence between Perry and 1962 August (2). Young, and Young and Packard about Bailey's mental state, the legal situation in England, future courses of action; letter from Bailey to Perry, 24 August, in which he indicates his intention to move to Belgium to work with Gabriel Hamoir. Packard's letter of 30 August to Young gives news of Bailey's departure for Belgium. also 1962 September. Young and Bailey re Bailey's return to England (successfully accomplished) with Perry. Principally Perry's correspondence with 10 1962 October. and Trinity College Cambridge re court proceedings, prospects of rehabilitation. proceedings in the Times under heading Includes photocopy of report of court Principally Perry's correspondence with Young 'Lecturer bound over'. K Bailey NCUACS 4/3/88 9 11 £2 1962 November, December. Perry and Young and Perry and Trinity; Hanson offering help, and letter from Bailey's sister. Continuing correspondence between also letter from Jean 1963 January - May. Perry including arrangements for Bailey to visit Cambridge on 19 May (one letter from Young to Bailey). Correspondence between Bailey and It was on this visit to Cambridge that Bailey committed suicide, 22 May. 13 - 15 Correspondence and papers re funeral, memorial service, obituaries etc., 1963-65. 13 14 15 1963 May. Includes letter from J R G Bradfield, Trinity College, to Perry with news of Bailey's last few days in Cambridge and photocopy of Times obituary written by Perry. Includes order of service for 1963 June-August, October. Trinity College memorial service (held 19 June), correspondence between Perry and C E Dalgliesh re International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry's Commission on Proteins, of which Bailey was President and correspondence between Perry and J T Edsall, editor of Advances in Protein Chemistry re obituary which Perry agreed to write for Advances. expresses his own great admiration for Bailey and encloses a letter of appreciation from Cyril Kay. Edsall's letter of 10 July 1964-65. obituary for Advances in Protein Chemistry, typescript drafts and published version. Includes correspondence rePerry's K Bailey NCUACS 4/3/88 10 16 - 18 Miscellaneous items 16 17 18 Press-cuttings covering principal steps in Bailey's career. Probably used by Perry for writing obituary. List of Bailey's publications, 1946-61. ‘Interaction of actin, myosin and ATP'. 6pp typescript. Unidentified ms notes. K Bailey NcuACS 4/3/88 ll Index of correspondents ADRIAN, Edgar Douglas, Baron ANSON, M L ASTBURY, William Thomas BAILEY, Bertram BAILEY, Vincent BRADFIELD, John R G 7 15 See 4 6, 15 See 14 9, 13 BURGESS, Nancy 6, 11, 13 - 15 CORSI, Andrea DALGLIESH, Charles E EDSALL, John Tilestone HAMOIR, Gabriel HANSON, Emmeline Jean KAY, Cyril M MARSH, B B NEEDHAM, Dorothy Mary Moyle NEUBERGER, Albert 8 14 14, 15 See 10 1l 14 15 13 7 NEURATH, Hans See 14 K Bailey NCUACS 4/3/88 12 Index of correspondents PACKARD, Andrew 7 - 10 PERRY, Samuel Victor 2; 34% 5:- 25 PORTER, Rodney Robert PRYOR, MGM 10, 11 YOUNG, Sir Frank (George) 6, 8 - 14
BAILEY, Kenneth v2
Published: 16 January, 2024 Author: admin