The Photographic Journal/Volume 68/The late Basil Fenwick Howard
The late Basil Fenwick Howard
Ot is with much regret that we have to record the death of one of our Fellows. Mr. B. F. Howard at Denver, Colorado, U.S.A., on the 22nd August.
Mr. Howard was the son of the Reverend George Broadley Howard, was born at Croydon on 15th May, 1865. During his school days at Rose Hill School, Tunbridge Wells, he became much interested in scientific matters–chiefly electrical–which he afterwards studied under Professors Ayrton and Perry at the City and Guilds Institute at Finsbury, where on account of his ability in the management of dynamos he was placed in charge of them there, and as a compensation his fees were remitted.
He joined the electrical engineering firm of Woodhouse and Rawson, and was for some time their manager in Glasgow, but later obtained employment with the national Telephone Co. and became in 1899 their electrician to the Western District of London, with his headquarters at the Gerrard Street Exchange, and under his superintendence the telephones were first fitted up in Buckingham Palace.
Early interest in X-Rays
For many years Howard has been interested in photography, he was one of the first to demonstrate the value of the X-rays in surgery and became an expert in the Sanger-Shepherd tri-colour process. He joined the Royal Photographic Society in 1899 and was admitted to Fellowship in 1902.
About this time, for reasons of health he went to Arosa in Switzerland and there met with another Fellow of the Society, Mr. W. B. Ferguson, who living there at the time. The two Fellows being both much interested in the scientific side of photography determined to use their leisure in doing what they could to carry on the work of Hurter and Driffield, A small laboratory was fitted up and the two commenced a series of researches on various photographic points, more particularly on the influence of temperature on the reasons of development, Howard had considerable skill in the mathematical treatment of scientific problems, and being also a capable worker in wood and metals made with his own hands, out of material locally obtained, the sector wheels exposure apparatus, density measuring photometer and other apparatus used in their laboratory.
Researches on Time and Temperament Development.
In 1905 a paper by the two workers on "The Control of the Development Factor at various Temperatures," was read by B. F. Howard at the R.P.S., followed in 1906 by a further communication "On a New Method calculating the Time of Development at various Temperatures," read by W. B. Ferguson, but based on the work done by Howard and himself. These two papers were the foundation of the system of Time and Temperature development now almost universal.
Later on Howard joined the Mountain Telephone Co., of Denver, Colorado, U.S.A., with whom he had worked ever since, occupying of the the highest positions in their service and contributing to scientific societies many papers on technical points of telephone practice.
Since going to the United States he had little leisure to spare for photographic research, but his numerous letters to his friends in this Society bore witness to his continued interest in the scientific side of photography.
Howard was an able and intelligent man, a god photographer, a genial companion and a good friend and his loss will be felt by many.
W.B.F.
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