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Record

CodePX1114
Dates1911-1990
Person NameClaringbull; Sir; Gordon Frank (1911-1990); Knight; Mineralogist; Director of the British Museum (Natural History)
SurnameClaringbull
ForenamesGordon Frank
PreTitleSir
TitleKnight
EpithetMineralogist; Director of the British Museum (Natural History)
ActivityMuseum staff: appointed assistant keeper (2nd class) in Department of Mineralogy 1935; assistant keeper (1st class) 1944; senior scientific officer 1946; principal scientific officer 1948; Keeper of Mineralogy 1953; Director 1968; retired 1976
X-ray crystallographer

In early 1939 he studied X-ray crystallography under Dr-Ernest Cox at Birmingham University. This included studying the crystal structures of explosives. During WW2 Claringbull worked for the SOE (Special Operations Executive) on the use of explosives for particular targets. The SOE had a branch within the Museum- Station XVB, the Demonstration Room of the SOE's Camouflage Unit, where agents could come to view devices for use in the field. In 1944 Claringbull transfered to the SOE's headquarters in Baker Street, where he worked devising possible sabotage measures against the launch sites of V1 and V2 bombs.
Catalogue
RefNoTitleSource
DF/MIN/20/21/8Claringbull, Gordon Frank: X-ray notebook, simpsonite, mostly empty 
DF/MIN/20/21/7Claringbull, Gordon Frank: X-ray notebook 'Optical notes' 
DF/MIN/20/21/6Claringbull, Gordon Frank: X-ray notebook 'Explosives' 
DF/MIN/20/21/5Claringbull, Gordon Frank: X-ray notebook 'Explosives:- RDX etc' 
DF/PH/7/1/3/1Emperor Hirohito on Museum steps 
DF/MIN/20/21/3Claringbull, Gordon Frank: 'Fedorov measurements', mostly empty 
DF/PH/3/6/3/7Opening of Gallery of British Natural History: Guests viewing exhibition 
DF/MIN/20/21/4Claringbull, Gordon Frank: X-ray notebook 'Tellurite, fluellite' 
DF/MIN/20/21/1Claringbull, Gordon Frank: Official diary recording daily duties in the Museum 
DF/PH/7/1/3/3Emperor Hirohito with Director in Central Hall 
DF/PH/2/4/4Staff Group Photograph: Mineralogy Department 
DF/DIR/933/7Correspondence and papers of Sir Frank Claringbull 
DF/MIN/20/21/2Claringbull, Gordon Frank: Diary for visit to USA and Canada to attend Crystallography Congress 
DF/PH/3/13/5/6Opening ceremony for fossil mammal gallery: Right Honorable Margaret Thatcher discussing exhibit with Dr Claringbull, Director 
DF/PH/3/13/5/5Opening ceremony for fossil mammal gallery: Right Honorable Margaret Thatcher looking at fossil mammal 
DF/PH/3/13/5/4Opening ceremony for fossil mammal gallery: Right Honorable Margaret Thatcher talking to Dr Claringbull, Director 
DF/MIN/20/21/9Claringbull, Gordon Frank: X-ray notebook, taafeite, mostly empty 
DF/PH/13/18/24Tring Museum: Prince Philip opening new ornithological building: The Director, Sir Gordon Frank Claringbull, talking with gentleman 
DF/PH/13/16/3Tring Museum: Laying foundation stone of ornithological building: Guests in conversation  
DF/PH/13/18/9Tring Museum: Prince Philip opening new ornithological building: Prince Philip in conversation with Derek Goodwin, David Snow on the left  
DF/PH/13/18/25Tring Museum: Prince Philip opening new ornithological building: Prince Philip and the Director, Sir Gordon Frank Claringbull, in room with bird skeletons  
DF/MIN/10/1/27Paper on meteorite research by Gordon F Claringbull and Max H Hey 
DF/PH/13/18/20Tring Museum: Prince Philip opening new ornithological building: G F Claringbull with T C S Morrison-Scott  
DF/PH/7/2/3/2Director and Keepers, Dr John Philip Harding's retirement 
DF/PH/2/9/1/7Director Gordon Frank Claringbull 
DF/PH/13/16/10Tring Museum: Laying foundation stone of ornithological building: Dr G Claringbull in conversation  
DF/PH/7/2/3/1Director and Keepers, Dr John Philip Harding's retirement 
DF/MIN/2/18Claringbull, Gordon F: register of in and out-letters, Jan 1956 - Jan 1957 
DF/MIN/2/7Claringbull, Gordon F: register of in and out-letters, Sep 1953 - May 1956 
DF/DIR/933/1/35/1East Infill Project Director's file, 1968-1977 
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