Hello Michael,
On Wed, 31 May 2000 18:02 +0000, you wrote:
>
>Who can forget Magnus. Lovable old duffer. Famous for waving his hands
> around on television.
No duffer. A brilliant scientist, who cultivated in later years
(especially when he became a TV personality) a deliberate eccentric
persona)
Famous for waving his hands about AT ALL TIMES.
Two anecdotes.
After his Presidential speech at the IFST AGM Dinner in 1971, he was in
the hotel lobby giving a telephone interview to BBC radio. It was a
wall-affixed phone, and at one point I observed him put the handset on
the shelf so that he could gesticulate to emphasise what he was saying.
One of his successors as IFST President, John Hawthorn, on a visit from
Scotland to London, boarded an Underground train and by sheer chance
found himself opposite Magnus. "Hello Magnus, fancy meet you here" said
John. Magnus replied, In a loud voice, flinging his arms wide to the
alarm of his neighbours "SHHHH. I'M TRAVELLING INCOGNITO!"
>
>He did a lot for the BA. Raised the profile significantly.
>
>But we should not gloss over the not so positive aspects of the Pyke
> phenomenon.
>
>It wasn't Magnus's fault that the media turned him into the
> stereotypical 'mad scientists'. At the time it was possibly even
> helpful. But in hindsight, he was just so good at it that the TV
> people still look for a modern equivalent of the mad boffin.
Some scientists complained at the time that it was unprofessional.
>
>On the whole, though, the PUS brigade owes Magnus plenty although they
> may not want to acknowledge this in snottier reaches. (No names, no
> pack drill.)
What it owes him above all was the example that he set of how a
brilliant scientist can write in terms that the general public could
understand and identify with.
>
>He wasn't though so precious that he would shun people who, perhaps in
> a hurry or too young to remember, did not spell his name correctly.
>
>MK
>
>PS Can't quite remember the exact details of his food connection.
> Wasn't he also involved in the scientific side of the Scotch whisky
> business?
During World War II he was a leading scientist in the then Ministry of
Food. When I first knew him and for many years he was indeed involved in
Scotch whisky, as Chief Scientist of Distillers Ltd. He also wrote
numerous books on many aspects of food science.
He ended his days sadly. After retiring from BA, he was mugged on his
own doorstep, was badly hurt physically but also psychologically. He was
afraid to step out of his house and became a complete recluse.
Best wishes
Ralph
******************************************************************
J Ralph Blanchfield MBE
Food Science, Food Technology & Food Law Consultant
Chair, IFST External Affairs
Web Editor, Institute of Food Science & Technology
IFST Web address <www.ifst.org>
e-mail: <[log in to unmask]> ICQ# 6254687.
ICQ Web page <wwp.mirabilis.com/6254687>
******************************************************************
>----Original Message-----
>From: J Ralph Blanchfield <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Maria Roy <[log in to unmask]>
>Cc: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Magnus Pike (sic) Annual Lecture - Such is Fame!
>Reply-To: J Ralph Blanchfield <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: 30 May 2000 9:21 pm
>
>Hello Maria and Everyone,
>
>Great to be celebrating the memory of Magnus in this way.
>
>However, I collaborated with him for many years in the Institute of
> Food
>Science and Technology, especially in 1970 and 1971 when he was
>President and I was Hon Secretary. I can positively assure you that
> his
>name was not Magnus Pike as you mistakenly state, but Magnus Pyke.
>
>
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