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Sir David Martin (I) Title 61

David Martin, (after 1970 Sir David) had more influence on 40 years of my career than anyone else. Early in January 1956 he was visited by John Jarrold, the owner and publisher of Discovery, The Magazine of Scientific Progress, who asked David Martin to suggest a successor to its Editor who had just left. David suggested me and on 26 January I met the Journal's owner, John Jarrold at 244 High Holborn, which was to become my Editorial Office. I was offered the Editorship at that in- terview, and as I liked John Jarrold for his sincerity, he was a Quaker, I accepted. [Title 621 David Martin (1914-1976) was a Scotsman, born in Fife, and two years older than I. During the almost 30 years [1947-19761 when he was the Executive Secretary of the Royal Society, he acted as the most skilful organiser and administrator of sci- ence of the century. Although primarily a Servant of the Fellowship of the Royal Society, his influence extended over European, Commonwealth and World Science through his membership of the innumerable committees of scientists which he was instrumental in creating and guiding during his life. He always seemed available for help and advice to anyone who needed it. The immense organisation necessary for the International Geophysical Year 1957-1958, the I.G.Y., flowed smoothly from his office, first in Burlington House and later from Carlton House Terrace, when an expansion of staff and space had become essential. He was a portly gentleman and carried it well, and when later he, Trevor Williams, the Editor of 1.C.1.'~Endeavour and I, had monthly luncheons at our respective clubs to gossip about the latest scientific events, his enjoyment of good food and wine was a delight to see. All three of us were chemists, David from Edinburgh, Trevor from Oxford and I from London, but David Martin's gifts were far greater than ours. His wide vision, his encyclopaedic knowledge of all important scientists, and not only in Britain, the way they worked and thought, he never appeared to be under any pressure, he al- ways was a source of wisdom and encouragement, his ability to see broad issues while being meticulous about details were quite outstanding. Always sympathetic and helpful to all scientists, his sole interest in life was the Royal Society and its fel- lows. Kipling might have written 'IF" with David Martin in mind. The all too rare perfect obituary was written for him by Sir Harrie Massey and Sir Harold Thompson and was published in the Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, November 1978. (David himself was of course never a Fellow himself, as the Society's statutes did not allow it).

74 never great wealth but alway ing. Courtesy The Royal SocieQ, Lo

73 Sir David Martin (11) Title 61 A

Walk through the magnificent apartments of the Royal Society in London’s Carlton House Terrace, and you will find the walls decorated with the paintings of its illus- trious Fellows and other famous scientists. They range over the now more than three centuries of the Society’s history, from its Founder King Charles I1 on, paint- ings of Isaac Newton, of Benjamin Franklin, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Christo- pher Wren, a bust of James Watt, and since 1941 a complete series of the Society’s Presidents, nowadays commissioned by the Society. The total of 148 oil paintings and 24 portrait busts was catalogued in 1980 by the then Librarian Norman H. Rob- inson. You can even find a small black-and-white photograph of Sir David Martin, in a dark corridor, although he has been considered by many as the most distinguished and effective servant of the Society in modern times. I have always felt that a por- trait of him should be painted and prominently displayed to commemorate his great achievements and his services to the Society, as well as to science in general, not only in Britain but world-wide. David was appointed Executive Secretary in 1946 at the age of 32, and one of his first tasks was to organise an International Conference on Scientific Information to which I was able to contribute a small paper. [See Title 331 A major achievement of David’s was to persuade the Society to become its own publisher of its journals, soon to be imitated by many other learned Societies. It brought a major revolution in the economics of the Royal Society and, instead of a deficit management, it achieved a major source of income which in turn led to an immense psychological benefit for all Fellows and staff. In the later years of the 1950s Martin became intimately involved in the organi- sation of the International Geophysical Year 1957-1959. He created and chaired in- numerable international committees, from which sprang the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, among other outstanding scientific developments. Two further great contributions were the organisation of the Royal Society Ter- centenary Celebrations in 1960, and I shall never forget David, wearing his academ- ic gown and white gloves, proudly carrying the Society’s Maze in front of the aca- demic procession in the Albert Hall. Secondly, and perhaps even more significant for the future of the Society, was his supervision of the Society’s move from Burl- ington House to the reconstructed premises of Carlton House Terrace, which at last permitted the full development of the Society’s many activities. Surely, for these and his other achievements, he deserves proper recognition.

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To.. Discovery undSuvile Club -Discovery. Title 62

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