Professor Peter Henry Gore CChem FRSC

Peter Henry Gore, born Heinz Peter Goldfeld into a Jewish family in Berlin, was forced to leave Nazi Germany just before the start of World War 2, at the age of 12.

In early January 1939, he and his brother travelled on the Kindertransport to London, soon to be joined by his parents, and from there the family sailed to Sydney to start a new life.

As a refugee boy with limited English at first, he soon shone academically. His school results were crowned with distinction certificates, and he came 12th in Chemistry for the state of NSW.

Peter went on to Sydney University to study Science, and gradually specialised in Chemistry, for which he got a First Class Honours, one of only 3 candidates who achieved this. This earned him a Commonwealth of Australia Research Studentship, to study for a Master of Science degree. Then followed a teaching fellowship in Organic Chemistry.
Peter next decided to apply to do a PhD in London, largely because of what he realised were the superior musical events for which he so longed. Music was a lifelong passion for Peter, and he had a profound musical knowledge. And so in August 1950 he set off by ship, on the long voyage to England.  The day after his arrival he started his PhD work at Imperial College, in the Department of Organic Chemistry, whose Head of Department was Professor Reginald Patrick Linstead. His supervisor for his PhD was Ernest Braude. He started off working on polyclyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and became specially skilled at the experimental techniques involved.  When he had completed his PhD he was offered a Rockefeller Research Fellowship there, working under Professor Linstead.
In 1953, he went on to a lectureship at Acton Technical College, which later became Brunel University. Then on to a Readership, publishing many scientific papers on his ongoing research, and guiding many post-graduate research students towards their PhD's. Many of his students were from abroad, and Peter was a wonderful mentor, taking an interest in them as people, as well as scientists. They were devoted to him. 

Peter's scientific papers, including specifically developing work on the Friedel-Crafts Acylation Reaction, led him to being awarded a Doctorate of Science by the University of London.  In 1978 Peter became a Professor,  receiving a personal chair of Organic Chemistry at Brunel University, in recognition of his great distinction. Held in affection by colleagues and students alike, he was a brilliant lecturer.

Peter retired from academic life in the 1989 and at that point was made a Life Fellow of the RSC after over 50 years of membership.

Not only a very distinguished research chemist and teacher, Peter was deeply knowledgable and passionate about music, art, architecture, Egyptology, and was widely travelled. He was a devoted husband to the Gerontologist and author, Irene Gore (who died just one year before him) through their nearly 63 years of marriage, and a loving father and grandfather. He is sorely missed by all his family.