A LECTURER who was instrumental in developing chemistry courses at a new university has been remembered by colleagues and loved ones.

Dr Edward Bishop, from Brighton, who worked at the University of Sussex for more than three decades, died at the age of 82 on Friday, March 23.

He grew up in Worcester, where as a youngster, he became interested in everything to do with fine china. His wife Anne came to share his passion.

Edward started working at the university in 1962 after moving from his position researching in a prestigious laboratory used by the pioneering scientist Rex Richards at Oxford’s Wadham College.

Along with six others, Edward helped develop the first set of BSc courses in chemistry at the university.

He rose to the challenge of starting from scratch and helping decide the syllabus for the various course after the university was founded on August 16, 1961.

The number of chemistry staff at the university began to grow at a fast rate after the first steps were taken by the team in charge of developing the courses.

Edward used his wide range of skills and experience to help develop the university’s School of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, as it was then known.

He specialised in lecturing on topics within the subject of physical chemistry and was part of a group of fellow chemists from the university to travel to Ibadan in Nigeria to work there between 1965 and 1967.

The group helped set up chemistry courses at the new University of Ife, which was opening in Ibadan.

During his many years working at the University of Sussex, he helped create the environmental science subject group along with other members of staff.

He also spent time focusing on work and researching topics outside of physical chemistry, together with biologists and geographers.

Working with groups such as the Agricultural Research Council Unit of Nitrogen Fixation, he was part of a number of research projects and contributed to many publications along with his collaborators.

Edward worked at the university until he retired in 1999.

Outside his work, he also developed a passion for cooking his own curries and for studying land and marine snails, which he spent years collecting after buying some and even finding them himself when he was working in the field.

His keen interest led to him teaching students about the role unusual snail populations play in relation to changes in the environment.

Edward is survived by Anne and his son and daughter.

His funeral service was at Woodvale Crematorium, Brighton, on Saturday.