Edwin A. Dawes Explained

Edwin A. Dawes
Birth Date:1925 7, df=yes
Birth Place:Goole, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Nationality:British
Other Names:Eddie Dawes
Occupation:Biochemist, magician
Years Active:1947–2023
Notable Works:Quantitative Problems in Biochemistry; Microbial Energetics

Edwin Alfred Dawes (6 July 1925 – 3 March 2023) was a British biochemist and magician from Yorkshire. As a biochemist, he authored two textbooks and was the long-term and founding head of the Biochemistry department at the University of Hull, where he led its research into bioplastics. As a magician, he was an internationally recognised authority on the history of magic.

Early life and education

Dawes was born in Goole in the West Riding of Yorkshire on 6 July 1925.[1] He developed an interest in magic at the age of 5 when his father and grandfather performed for him during a period of illness. His interest in chemistry developed while at grammar school in Goole, and when he received a gas-mask during World War 2, he decided to test it by producing chlorine gas in the family shed.[2]

Dawes completed his Bachelor of Science with Honours at the University of Leeds in 1946, and his PhD in 1948.

Academic career

Dawes lectured at the University of Leeds from 1947 to 1950, and at the University of Glasgow from 1951 to 1963. In 1963, he founded the University of Hull's Biochemistry department, and headed it until 1986. From 1963 to 1990 he was Hull's Reckitt Professor of Biochemistry. As director of Hull's biomedical research unit from 1981 to 1992, he led its work on polyhydroxyalkanoate bioplastics, which led to the commercialisation of Biopol by ICI.[2] [1]

Dawes was Hull's Dean of Science from 1968 to 1970, and its pro-vice-chancellor from 1977 to 1980.[3] Dawes was granted emeritus status in 1990,[4] and awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science by the university in 1992.[5]

Dawes was an editor of the Biochemical Journal from 1958 to 1965 and the Journal of General Microbiology from 1971 to 1976, and served as editor-in-chief of the latter between 1976 and 1981.[6] In 1981 he became Publications Manager of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies, and the following year commenced as Chief Editor of its FEMS Microbiology Letters journal. He retired from those positions in 1990, and subsequently became the society's archivist.[7]

Dawes was chairman of the Philip Larkin Society from its founding in 1995, ten years after the death of the poet. The two became friends while Larkin was librarian at the university's Brynmor Jones Library and Dawes was Chairman of the Library Committee (1974 to 1987).[8] On 2 December 2016, after a long campaign, Larkin's memorial was unveiled at Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey by Dawes and Anthony Thwaite (the Society's president).[9] [10]

Works

Dawes's 1956 textbook Quantitative Problems in Biochemistry was translated into 6 languages, and remained in print in Japan.[2] Reviews of its 1972 5th edition noted that it had "become a classic for many honours students and teachers of bio-chemistry"[11] with its text "outstanding for being concise yet clear.[12] Its 1980 6th edition was considered as "disappointing" by two reviewers due to its abbreviated content and insufficient coverage of developments in the field,[13] [14] however another reviewer would recommend it without hesitation "as a valuable teaching and reference resource".[15]

His 1986 textbook Microbial Energetics was aimed at the advanced undergraduate, with chapters on "microbial reserve compounds analogous to starch and glycogen of higher cells" deemed "especially authoritative and up-to-date",[16] and with a writing style which "affords considerable pleasure simply by the manner in which the material is presented".[17]

Magic

Dawes was President of the Scottish Conjurers' Association from 1959 to 1963, and edited its magazine from 1958 to 1962.[18] Dawes also edited the magazine for the Scottish Association of Magical Societies (SAMS), the national organisation for magical clubs in Scotland.[19] He was President of the Hull Magicians Circle,[20] and historian for The Magic Circle.[21]

Dawes was a multi-award-winning historian of magic, and is likely to have been the most prolific.[5] His writings, which have been noted for consistently excellent scholarship and engaging prose,[5] include The Great Illusionists,[22] The Encyclopedia of Magic with Arthur Setterington,[23] a number of monographs, and hundreds of articles including (since 1972) his long-running "A Rich Cabinet of Magical Curiosities" monthly column in The Magic Circular.[5] Dawes also wrote several biographical magic books for magicians, among them Charles Bertram: The Court Conjurer (1997), Stodare: The Enigma Variations (1998), and Stanley Collins: Conjuror, Collector and Iconoclast (2002).

With Amy Dawes

In magic shows, his wife Amy performed both as his assistant and in her own right.[2] She was a domestic science student during his studies at Leeds, and subsequently became a teacher in Glasgow.[2] They married on 19 December 1950, and had two sons. The couple developed Only Make-Believe: A Plethora of Prestidigitation, an award-winning stage show, in which they performed as Professor Bluffman and Madame Patrice.[24] Amy Dawes died on 30 December 2014, aged 85.[25] [2]

Personal life and death

Dawes died on 3 March 2023, at the age of 97.[26]

Awards and honours

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kay. Ernest. International Who's who in Education. 1987. International Biographical Centre. 9780900332876. 135. 1 January 2018. en.
  2. Web site: Venn - University of Hull magazine. issuu. 1 January 2018. en. 32–35.
  3. Book: Who's who in science in Europe. September 1984. F. Hodgson.. 9780582901094. 1 January 2018. en.
  4. Book: Men of Achievement 93-94. 1993. Taylor & Francis. 197. 9780948875755. 15. 1 January 2018. en.
  5. Web site: The Edwin A. Dawes Award for Magic Scholarship. www.magicana.com. 1 January 2018.
  6. Book: Medical Sciences International Who's who. 1990. Longman. 9780582041936. 246. 1 January 2018. en.
  7. Professor E.A. Dawes. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 1 January 2018. iii. en. 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1991.tb04311.x. 1 January 1991. 77. free.
  8. Goodman. Richard. My Particular Talents. Humanities Collections. June 1999. 1. 2. 45–60. 10.1300/J139v01n02_07.
  9. News: Memorial to Philip Larkin unveiled in Poets' Corner. 1 January 2018. BT.com. 2 December 2016. en.
  10. News: Sawer. Patrick. 'Outsider' Larkin finally joins the Establishment in Poets' Corner. 1 January 2018. The Telegraph. 30 November 2016.
  11. Billing. Barbara H.. Quantitative Problems in Biochemistry. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 1973. 26. 6. 461. 477790. 0021-9746. 10.1136/jcp.26.6.461-a.
  12. Herries. D.G.. Quantitative problems in biochemistry. Biochemical Education. September 1972. 1. 1. 13. 10.1016/0307-4412(72)90016-7.
  13. Easterby. JS. Quantitative problems in biochemistry (Sixth Edition). Biochemical Education. July 1981. 9. 3. 112. 10.1016/0307-4412(81)90228-4.
  14. PRICE. N. C.. Quantitative Problems in Biochemistry (6th Edition). Biochemical Society Transactions. 1 August 1981. 9. 4. 359.2–359. 10.1042/bst0090359a.
  15. Kell. Douglas. Quantitative Problems in Biochemistry (Sixth Edition). FEBS Letters. 21 December 1981. 136. 1. 181. 10.1016/0014-5793(81)81241-0. free.
  16. Poole. Robert K.. Microbial Energetics. Biochemical Society Transactions. 1 October 1986. 14. 5. 991.2–991. 10.1042/bst0140991a.
  17. Battley. Edwin H.. Microbial Energetics. Edwin A. Dawes. The Quarterly Review of Biology. June 1987. 62. 2. 191. 10.1086/415438.
  18. Web site: Scottish Conjurers' Association. www.scamagic.org. 1 January 2018. en-gb.
  19. Web site: History of the Scottish Association of Magical Societies. www.paisleymagiccircle.co.uk. 1 January 2018.
  20. Web site: HMC History. www.hullmc.org.uk. 1 January 2018. en.
  21. Web site: McDonald. Lucy. And that's renaissance magic .... The Guardian. 1 January 2018. 10 April 2007.
  22. Web site: Dawes. Edwin A. (Edwin Alfred). The great illusionists / Edwin A. Dawes. National Library of Australia. David & Charles. 13 February 2018.
  23. Book: The encyclopedia of magic. 14871446.
  24. Linking Ring. 15 Apr. In Memoriam Amy Dawes. 40. .
  25. Web site: Hull Magicians' Circle. www.facebook.com. 1 January 2018. en.
  26. News: Dr. Edwin A. Dawes, 1925–2023 . 6 March 2023 . Magicana . 5 March 2023.
  27. Web site: Our new honorary vice-presidents – The Philip Larkin Society . 16 October 2023.
  28. Web site: Lifetime Achievement Award 2018 Magicana . www.magicana.com . 7 March 2023.
  29. Web site: Herrick. Mark. The Magic Circle Awards 2017. themagiccircle.co.uk. 1 January 2018. en-gb. 22 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171222051026/https://themagiccircle.co.uk/news/1194-the-magic-circle-awards-2017. dead.
  30. Web site: Hall of Fame The Academy of Magical Arts. www.magiccastle.com. 2 July 2014 . 13 February 2018.
  31. News: Awards 2010. 1 January 2018. tmclists.co.uk. en-gb.
  32. September 2010. Edwin A. Dawes Award for Magic Scholarship. The Magic Circular. 258. subscription .
  33. Web site: 0284 - MagicWeek UK Magic News. www.magicweek.co.uk. 1 January 2018.
  34. Web site: Brennan. Andrew. The Magic Circle, David Devant award. themagiccircle.co.uk. 1 January 2018. en-gb.
  35. Web site: Brennan. Andrew. The Magic Circle Maskelyne Award. themagiccircle.co.uk. 1 January 2018. en-gb. 26 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210126043147/https://themagiccircle.co.uk/the-society/our-awards/the-maskelyne-award. dead.
  36. Web site: Brennan. Andrew. The John Nevil Maskelyne Prize. themagiccircle.co.uk. 1 January 2018. en-gb. 16 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171216091115/https://themagiccircle.co.uk/the-society/our-awards/the-jnm-prize. dead.
  37. Web site: The Hall. Society of American Magicians Hall of Fame and Magic Museum, Inc.. 13 February 2018. 3 November 2011.
  38. 15 November 1975. Hull Magicians' Circle. Goodliffe's Abracadabra. 60. 1555. 387. subscription .

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