102 LIFE AND EXPERIENCES CHAP. 



late Dr. Angus Smith, both well-known Manchester 

 men, who were candidates for the post. 



I suppose the trustees were satisfied with my appear- 

 ance and with what I could say for myself, because a 

 few days afterwards I was informed by Mr. Aston 

 that I had been appointed to the vacant chair. I 

 therefore had to give up my London laboratory and 

 make arrangements for settling down in Manchester. 



At that time the college had been founded about 

 six years. My colleagues were: A. J. Scott, Principal ; 

 J. G. Greenwood, Professor of Classics ; Archibald 

 Sandeman, Professor of Mathematics and Natural 

 Philosophy ; W. C. Williamson, Professor of Natural 

 History ; and R. C. Christie, Professor of Law and 

 History. There were in the college at the time 

 about thirty-five students, of whom fifteen were work- 

 ing in the laboratory, which had been fitted up by 

 my predecessor, Frankland. 



The history of the foundation and remarkable rise 

 of Owens College has been written by my friend 

 Mr. Alderman Thompson, 1 a Manchester manufacturer 

 of about my own age, who had entered the college and 

 was working in the laboratory. I need not therefore 

 enter into detail in regard to this except to say that 

 the college was first established in a private house in 

 Quay Street which had formerly been the residence of 

 Richard Cobden (see drawing facing this page). 



The institution was at that time nearly in a state of 

 collapse, and this fact had impressed itself even on the 

 professors. I was standing one evening, preparing 

 myself for my lecture by smoking a cigar at the back 

 gate of the building, when a tramp accosted me and 

 asked me if this was the Manchester Night Asylum. 

 I replied that it was not, but that if he would call again 



1 The Owens College: Its Foundation and Growth, by Joseph Thompson ; 

 published by J. E. Cornish, Manchester, 1886. 



