Eminent scientist born and raised at Butler Green in Chadderton dies aged 98

Oldham-born Professor Ronald Whittam, FRS, peacefully passed away on Wednesday (August 16) at the age of 98.

He died in Leicester Royal Infirmary.

He is survived by Christine, whom he married in 1957, son Harvey, daughter Althea and four grandchildren.

Professor Whittam is believed to be the oldest British Fellow of the Royal Society.

For many decades he read the former Oldham Chronicle newspaper every day, having been born and brought up in Butler Green in Chadderton.

He was the eldest son of the baker in the community - at that time it was pre-WWII - and Professor Whittam determinedly stuck to his northern roots and proud Lancashire accent.

Professor Whittam's story surrounded helping those who fled Nazi Germany to Oldham before WWII, then later leading to a humble local working class lad landing a fabulous research job with a most famous Nobel Laureate, Sir Hans Krebs, after graduating at Manchester University.

Ron Whittam's mother, Mrs May Whittam, ran the confectionary shop in Butler Green.

In the late 1930s there were many refugees fleeing Nazi Germany and coming to live in and around Butler Green.

The German ladies would visit the confectionary shop to buy bread and other provisions.

May would give them a little extra at no extra cost or charge less, being a kind and compassionate lady for those who had already suffered and had little in England. (with strong primitive methodist values).

One day a refugee lady asked May what she could do in return for her kindness.

May, knowing that her eldest son of three (Ron) was showing academic talent, agreed that it might be nice for him to learn some German.

He had attended the Stanley Road Council School and gone onto the Municipal Technical College in Oldham.

Ron studied German with the German lady and did rather well, such that the adults decided he should sit an exam.

However, there was no German exam for schoolboys to sit in Oldham.

He said he travelled into somewhere in Manchester and was obviously the 'odd' boy out sitting a German exam amongst well healed boys.

Ron moved on after serving in the RAF in WWII to being demobbed after completing his national service.

He attended the Commanding Officer's office on the RAF Base and was asked what he will do in the future.

He replied, 'go back to work in the family bakehouse'.

However, the Commanding Officer told him that with his School Certificate and all the aptituded test and qualifications in the RAF, he should definitely attend study at university.

He went on to attend the Univerisity of Manchester, where he achieved a 1st Class Honours degree in Applied Chemistry.

He decided to stay in academia/further education - he looked to conduct research in biochemistry so applied for a job available at Sheffield University.

He went over on his motorbike and was interviewed by the Head of Biochemistry, Professor Sir Hans Krebs, who immediately spotted that Ron had achieved a German language qualification which he found rare so enquire how that came about.

Sir Hans was touched by the story, especially since his parents had also fled from Nazi Germany.

During Ron's time in Sheffield he was nurtured and learnt much from Sir Hans and other senior academics.

It was no surprise then that later on whilst Sir Hans was heading up a large research team in Oxford University as a medical research unit, Ron would join him again and do his own ground-breaking research.

There will be several in-depth scientific and university obituaries being published in the coming weeks, but you can read a briefer run-down of his research achievements here

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