Richard Reynolds (chemist)

Richard Reynolds, FCS (12 May 1829 – 5 April 1900), was an English pharmaceutical chemist, optician, instrument maker, and X-ray pioneer.

Reynolds came from a long line of Quakers, being a descendent of John Gurney. On 12 May 1829, he was born at Banbury, Oxford, England. His father Richard Freshfield Reynolds was an apothecary, known as the druggist of Banbury. His mother was Maria Reynolds, née Bassett. In 1843, Reynolds left school and became apprenticed to James Deane, chemist at Clapham Common. In 1844, he went to Leeds and apprenticed to the chemist Thomas Harvey. During the years 1850 to 1851, he attended the London School of Pharmacy and took first prizes for the examinations held by the Pharmaceutical Society in chemistry, materia medica (medical material/substance) and botany. At this time, T. B. Groves, Henry T. Watts, Dr. William Squire and other notable individuals were at “The Square”. The Pharmaceutical Society was located on “The Square”. Reynolds returned to Claphman and worked for two years with the chemist James Deane. During the time at Claphman, he took an interest in the analysis of native samples of carbonate of soda. In 1854, Reynolds returned to Leeds as partner with Harvey in the chemist business and the firm became Harvey & Reynolds. In 1861, the firm was joined by a Mr. Fowler and became Harvey, Reynolds & Fowler. By 1864, Thomas Harvey had retired, Mr. Haw joined the business and the company became Haw & Reynolds. In 1867, the business was listed as Haw, Reynolds, & Co. Reynolds was a Fellow of the Chemical Society. He was elected member in 1864 and served as council member since 1870. In 1894, he was elected vice-president. In 1900, he died at home at Cliff Road, Hyde Park in Leeds.

In 1883, Frederick Woodward Branson joined the business and in 1886 the firm became Reynolds & Branson. In June 1898, a notice in Chemist and Druggist announced the firm of Reynolds & Branson, Limited was formed as a limited corporation.

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