Le Fevre, Raymond James Wood (RJW)
Le Fevre was born in North London on 1 April, 1905. He was educated at Gumley House Convent Infants School, Isleworth, St James Elementary School, Twickenham, Salesian School, Farnborough, Hampshire (1915-16), Isleworth County School (1916-1923), and the University of London's East London College (now Queen Mary College), from which he graduated in 1925, with a BSc with honours in chemistry, and a DSIR Scholarship, MSc in 1926, PhD in 1929 and DSc in 1935.
Le Fevre was Lecturer, subsequently Reader, in Organic Chemistry at University College, London from 1927 to 1939. He retained this substantive position throughout the war years. On the outbreak of war in September 1939, Le Fevre was seconded initially to the Ministry of Home Security to assist in the training of gas identification officers. In the early days of January, 1940, he joined the Directorate of Scientific Research, subsequently the Ministry of Aircraft Production, as an advisor on chemical weapons. In 1941, Le Fevre was seconded again, this time to the Royal Air Force, with the honorary rank of Wing Commander. He was sent to Malaya in order to arrange anti gas defence, and also to supervise the storage of chemical weapons expected to arrive in that country. The entry of Japan in to the war, and their subsequent rapid advance down into Malaya, involved Le Fevre in hasty destuction of these weapons, and an epic evacuation to Australia, where he arrived in March, 1942. From then until December 1943, Le Fevre was attached to the R.A.A.F., and given a post in the Directorate of Armament and Air Staff Policy. In this capacity, he supervised field trials of gas exposure in Queensland, which led to some controversy at a later date. He then resumed work at the U.K. Ministry of Aircraft Production as Assistant Director ( Research and Development, Armament Chemistry), becoming Head of the Chemistry Department, Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.
Le Fevre took up duties as Professor of Physical and Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Sydney in November 1946, and in December 1947, was appointed by the Senate as Acting Professor of Organic Chemistry and "Head of the combined Laboratories and stores of the two departments of Chemistry". In July 1951, Le Fevre was confirmed as Head of School and invited to take the title of Professor of Chemistry. He retired in 1970, and was created Emeritus Professor in 1971.
From January 1975 to August 1986, Le Fevre was Honorary Professorial Fellow at Macquarie University. Other honorary appointments included member of the Developmental Council of the New South Wales University of Technology and other bodies involved in the establishment of the University of New South Wales from 1948 to 1950, Masson lecturer in 1967, Trustee of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences from 1947 to 1975. Honours bestowed on Le Fevre included Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa), of the University of Sydney, 1985, Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and Ireland (1936), Fellow of the Australian Chemical Institute (1946), Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences (1954), Smith Medal (1952), Coronation Medal (1953), Fellow of the Royal Society of London (elected 1959).
His research, frequently in collaboration with his wife, Dr Catherine Le Fevre(nee Tideman), was in the field of physical organic chemistry. A detailed description of Le Fevre's research appears in the paper by M J Aroney and A D Buckingham published simultaneously in in 1988 in "Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society" (vol 34), and "Historical Records of Australian Science" (vol 7, no 3).
Le Fevre died in Sydney on 26 August, 1986.