Famous Chemist - Sir Humphry Davy

Humphry Davy, a Cornish chemist, was one of two boys and three girls born to Robert and Grace Davy. Humphry's father, Robert was a wood carver, but he had money, thus Humphry had the advantage of leading a relatively undistracted life. As evidence of that, he is quoted as having said, 'I consider it fortunate I was left much to myself as a child, and put upon no particular plan of study. ... What I am I made myself.1

His Nature

Money may go far in providing opportunity, and lack of opportunity may prevent a fine mind from expressing itself, but having money does not guarantee either the drive to learn nor successful accomplishment. Humphry Davy was neither the shy sort, nor the disinterested sort. He was intellectually capable and this impressed his instructor considerably, leading to his being transferred to better schools early in life.

Thus the setting was set for Humphry Davy to begin his scientific career. Even the time - the setting of Davy's life - was auspicious. In this 21st century, many scientific projects involve expensive equipment and teams of investigators. Such was not the case in the first quarter of Davy's 19th century. It was quite within reach for an intelligent researcher to single-handedly make an important discovery. So perhaps from that perspective coupled his other favorable qualities and circumstances, it would seem natural that such a man would accomplish what he did. But there was more.

During his earlier years, he had association with a kind of mentor - a Quaker named Robert Dunkin - a saddler. Dunkin was a bit of an experimenter with voltaic piles and Leyden jars - electrical paraphernalia to generate electricity as a battery or generator might, and a means of storage of such electrical charge. Such experiments as Dunkin performed would later be demonstrated to others by Davy, thus demonstrating the man's influence upon Davy's life. There were other aspects to Davy's development as a scientist, not the least of which was the involvement with the newly forming Royal Institution of London.

His Niche

Quite naturally out of all this, Davy became involved in electrolysis. This would lead to the isolation of the alkali metals potassium and sodium, as well as the alkaline earth elements calcium and barium. The catch was that such metals cannot be isolated by passing electricity to a water-solution of a potassium, sodium, calcium, or barium salt, as in the case of many other metals. Such metals as Davy isolated had to be electrolyzed from water-free, molten salts.

Humphry Davy would also get involved with reactive gases, including chlorine. Although chlorine had been discovered some 36 years before, it had received an unsatisfactory identification and was not recognized to be an element. Thus Davy is given credit for his isolation and correct identification of the gas. Other substances received his attention, including iodine.

Recognition and Invention

Humphry Davy was knighted for his efforts in 1812, thus becoming Sir Humphry Davy. Davy pursued things other than chemistry during his career. For instance, he is credited in 1815 with the development of a safety lamp, referred to as the Davy Lamp.

In 1819, Humphry Davy was awarded a baronetcy, the highest recognition for such a man.

His Death

Due to personal injuries from the inhalation of caustic and toxic gases throughout his life of experimentation, he died fairly young, in 1821 at the age of 50. Sir Humphry Davy is buried in Geneva.

1Davy, Sir Humphry (1778-1829), natural philosopher, by Robert Hunt, Dictionary of National Biography, Published 1888.