William Thomas Brande

William Thomas Brande (January 11, 1788 - February 11, 1866), English chemist, was born in London.

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After leaving Westminster School, he was apprenticed, in 1802, to his brother, an apothecary, with the view of adopting the profession of medicine. However, Brande's bent was towards chemistry, a sound knowledge of which he acquired in his spare time. In 1812 he was appointed professor of chemistry to the Apothecaries' Society, and delivered a course of lectures before the Board of Agriculture in place of Sir Humphry Davy, whom in the following year he succeeded in the chair of chemistry at the Royal Institution, London. From about 1823 onwards, Brande worked increasingly with the Royal Mint, eventually becoming Superintendent of the Coining and Die Department.

Brande's Manual of Chemistry, first published in 1819, enjoyed wide popularity, and among other works he brought out a Dictionary of Science, Literature and Art in 1842. He was working on a new edition when he died at Tunbridge Wells.

Brande died in 1866, and is buried in the large metropolitan cemetery of West Norwood, London (grave 1177, square 98).

References

• Obituary - from Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, volume XVI, 1868, pages ii - vi (at end of volume)
• Dictionary of National Biography (1886) entry for Brande
• Material on Brande's life and death by Frank James
• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.