Albert Charles Chibnall, 28 January 1894— 10 January 1988

Abstract

It was almost by chance that A.C. Chibnall was inducted into the second generation of British biochemists. He made important studies of the nitrogen metabolism of plants, crowning this work with a remarkable historical review. He also initiated serious chemical study of the natural waxes. For a quarter of a century he was the central figure in British protein chemistry, itself, for the first time, at the centre of protein chemistry in the world. He was instrumental in sending scientists into many of the variegated branches of British agricultural research and was, moreover, a distinguished historian of medieval England. Space, time and our personal limitations prevent us from doing justice to all of that. What we have mainly tried to do is to indicate starting points for future scientists and historians, wishing to go over any of this ground in greater detail. We try at the same time to record some of the personal impressions made on his contemporaries (including ourselves) by this unique and lovable man. In an age of male address by surname, Chibnall was familiarly known to colleagues as “Chib”, “Chibby” or “Chibs”, though latterly more people spoke about him thus than dared so to address him. To his parents and siblings (also H.B. Vickery) he was “Bert”. In his family, and with a few friends in his last years, he became simply “Charles”. Here it is convenient to use just the initials A.C.C., with which he signed many of his less-formal letters.