Dr Gerard O'Donnell obituary
28 April 1933 鈥� 11 May 2024
We are sad to report the loss of Gerard O’Donnell who had been a member of the 欧美AV since 1959 and was a life member.
Gerard was born at Withington Hospital, Manchester, the second of 5 children to Mary Agnes and Joseph O’Donnell. The family moved to Droylsden soon after the birth of their 3rd child and Gerard went to the local Roman Catholic primary school, St Stephen’s, before winning a scholarship to St Bede’s college in Whalley Range, Manchester.
Aged 16 he left school and went to work for the Public Analyst’s lab in Manchester before moving to Clayton Anerley chemical works on Ashton New Road, the site of which is now part of Manchester City’s Etihad complex.
During his time at Clayton Anerley Gerard studied at Salford Royal Technical College for an HNC in Chemistry and subsequently attended Manchester University where he completed his first degree.
He was then employed by the atomic energy authority who sponsored him to do a PhD under the supervision of Dr RF Simmons in the inhibition of the Hydrogen-Oxygen reaction by Bromine compounds at the College of Science and Technology, University of Manchester (which would subsequently become UMIST, The University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology).
Whilst at UMIST he met his wife of 61 years, Barbara, who was studying at the nearby Elizabeth Gaskell College and the pair married in Blackpool in 1963.
Following successful completion of his PhD Gerard briefly went to work for Esso in Oxford before returning to Manchester and working at ICI for over 20 years, primarily at their paints division in Hyde and it was during this time that he completed an MSc at Salford University that included a dissertation on The Investigation of Atmospheric Hazards at the workplace.
Subsequent to this Gerard worked for Thorn EMI and Gestetner before spending his final few working years as a sector specialist for Durwen Corporate Finance in Chester advising on acquisitions in the chemical industry.
Gerard enjoyed a long and happy retirement watching Lancashire play cricket, attending theatre and opera and watching Manchester United at Old Trafford where he had been a season ticket holder for many years. He is survived by his wife Barbara, children Cathy and John, and grandchildren Joseph, Charlotte and Jack. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
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