Carey Foster
George Carey Foster (October 1835 – 9 February 1919) was a chemist and physicist, born at Sabden in Lancashire. He was Professor of Physics at University College London, and served as the first Principal (salaried head) of the College) from 1900 to 1904.
Early life
He was the only son of George Foster, calico printer and justice of the peace in Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire. After education at private schools Foster became a student of chemistry at University College, London. He graduated with honours and a prize in 1855 and then served at the college as an assistant in Professor Williamson's chemistry laboratory.
Career
In 1857 Foster joined the British Association for the Advancement of Science, presented his research on the nomenclature of organic chemistry at their meeting, and maintained a close involvement thereafter. From 1858 he undertook research in organic chemistry under Kekulé at Ghent, later moving to Paris and Heidelberg. Having further pursued the study of heat, light, and electricity, introduced to him by Williamson, in 1862 he was appointed professor of natural philosophy at Anderson's University in Glasgow. During three years there Foster became familiar with the student assisted research undertaken at the natural philosophy laboratory run by William Thomson at Glasgow University. He met Mary Ann Frances Muir of Greenock, whom he married in 1868; his happy marriage produced four sons and four daughters, all of whom survived him, the partnership ending with his wife's death in 1917.
