Harold Kroto

Sir Harold Walter Kroto KBE FRS (born October 7, 1939) is an English chemist.

Early Life

He was born, christened Harold Krotoschiner in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England with his unusual name being of Silesian origin. His father's family came from Bojanowo, Poland, and his mother's from Berlin, Germany. Both his parents were born in Berlin but came to Britain in their 30s as refugees from the Nazis as his father was Jewish. He was raised in Bolton, Lancashire, England, where he attended Bolton School. Here, he was a contemporary of highly acclaimed actor Sir Ian McKellen. In 1955 the family name was shortened to Kroto.

Related Topics:
Wisbech - Cambridgeshire - England - Silesian - Bojanowo - Poland - Berlin - Germany - Britain - Refugees - Nazi - Jewish - Bolton - Lancashire - Bolton School - Sir Ian McKellen - 1955

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As a child, he became fascinated by a Meccano set. Kroto credits Meccano — amongst other things — with developing skills useful in scientific research. He was raised Jewish, but the religion never made any sense to him. He now claims to have four "religions": humanism, atheism, amnesty-internationalism and humourism. He developed an interest in chemistry, physics, and mathematics in secondary school, and because his sixth form chemistry teacher (Harry Heaney - who subsequently became a University Professor) felt that the University of Sheffield had the best chemistry department in the United Kingdom, he went to Sheffield.

Related Topics:
Meccano - Research - Humanism - Atheism - Amnesty-internationalism - Chemistry - Physics - Mathematics - Sixth form - Harry Heaney - University of Sheffield

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In 1963 he married Margaret Henrietta Hunter.

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