The Baker family

Michael Hennessey writes about some Quaker scientists

Pierre-Simon Laplace, an influential French mathematician, physicist and astronomer, when asked by Napoleon why he had not mentioned the author of the universe in his book about the system of the world, replied: ‘I had no need of that hypothesis.’

Much contemporary opinion would agree with Laplace and would argue that science and religion are incompatible. Science, it is said, has proved religion to be both untrue and unnecessary. The Quaker approach to faith rejects this widely held idea. It recognises that ‘science and religion have much in common. They are communal activities and involve a search for some greater truth… In both the scientific and religious searches for truth, the implications of current beliefs are explored to see where they lead.’ (Eleven Quaker scientists, Quaker faith & practice 26.24)

There have been – and are – many Quaker scientists, and a number of them are to be celebrated in a new gallery in Cheshire. The Catalyst Science amd Discovery Centre in Widnes, Cheshire, is a science centre and museum focusing on chemistry and the history of the chemical industry. It is planning ‘to celebrate the national, inspiring, ground-breaking achievements of the Bakers, a local Runcorn family’.

Who were the Bakers and what did they achieve? They were all Quakers and all distinguished scientists. Harry Baker developed the electrolysis method for the creation of chlorine in Runcorn in 1897, a process still used today. Chlorine is used worldwide as the ultimate defence against microbiological infestations. It is one of the basic constituents of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is widely used in all manner of everyday products.

Harry’s son, professor Wilson Baker FRS, was a Quaker volunteer in the first world war. As a scientist, he was a lead member of the research team at the end of world war two in Oxford that created a revolutionary life-saving product – synthetic penicillin. He was also a founder member of Oxfam.

Wilson’s brother, Wright Baker, was an academic and mechanical engineer known for his highly meticulous way of working. In 1955 he was chosen to attempt to open the copper scrolls from Qumran on the Dead Sea in Jordan. This he did successfully in Manchester.

Wright Baker’s wife, Kathleen Drew Baker, was a respected botanist whose focus of research was the study of laver seaweed in North Wales. Her knowledge and skills were utilised in Japan to save their nori industry, nori being an edible seaweed enjoyed by the Japanese. She was the co-founder of the British Phycological Society and its first president.

Who knows, the identification of these celebrated scientists as Quakers might just encourage people to question whether the popular rejection of religion as outdated is correct. It might even encourage them to find out more about Quakers!

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