xV 
ROBERT WARINGTON, 1838—1907. 
THE name of Robert Warington will ever be associated with one of the most 
important advances in the agricultural chemistry of the latter half of the 
nineteenth century, though his classical work on nitrification, which may 
be regarded as his life-work, bears but a small proportion to the total of that 
accomplished by him. He, no doubt, owed his chemical proclivities to his 
father—a Robert Warington also—who was a prominent figure amongst the 
chemists of earlier days. The elder Warington was one of the first chemical 
assistants at University College, and was subsequently appointed chemical 
operator to the Society of Apothecaries. He, also, was a Fellow of the Royal 
Society, and published several papers on chemical subjects; yet chemistry 
is more indebted to him for the part which he took in founding the Chemical 
Society than for the extent of his own original work. It was through his 
zeal and powers of organisation that this Society was founded in 1841, and 
the work which he did for it as its secretary during the subsequent ten 
years helped in no small measure to launch it on its prosperous career. 
Robert, his eldest son, was born on August 22, 1838, in the parish of 
Spitalfields. His mother was a daughter of George Jackson, M.R.C.S., to 
whom science is indebted for several improvements in microscopes which 
have not yet been superseded, as well as for the invaluable ruled glass 
micrometer. ‘The original dividing machine made by him for ruling the 
lines was still being used by a well known optician in 1899, and is probably 
in use at the present time. 
Very early in young Warington’s life his parents took up their residence 
at the Apothecaries’ Hall, and it was here, in the uncongenial atmosphere of 
the city, that he spent his childhood and youth. His constitution was. 
naturally feeble, and a life in the heart of London, with but little exercise, 
and no companions of his own age to assort with, did not tend to strengthen 
it. All through life he had to contend with a lack of bodily vigour, which 
rendered his work doubly laborious to him. For his education he seems to. 
have been chiefly indebted to his parents. While still quite young, he 
studied chemistry in his father’s laboratory, and had the advantage of 
attending lectures by Faraday, Brande, and Hofmann. 
In consequence of the unsatisfactory state of young Warington’s health, 
his father sought to get him’some employment in the country, and, with that 
object in view, applied to Mr. Lawes, with whom he was acquainted, and 
for whom he had done some professional work. The outcome of this was. 
that in January, 1859, the youth went to work in the Rothamsted 
Laboratory as Lawes’ unpaid assistant. Here he remained for one year, 
devoting all his time to ash analyses, of which he had had no previous 
experience, and examining various methods for obtaining the most. 
satisfactory results. Dr. Pugh and Mr. F. Rk. Segeleke were also working in. 
