Hugh David Anderson: 1976–1977

Hugh Anderson was born in April 1915 and educated at St Paul's School, London where he held a Senior Foundation Scholarship and won a leaving exhibition to Oriel College, Oxford where he read chemistry in the School of Natural Sciences.

In 1938 he was awarded a Fellowship by the Salters' Institute of Industrial Chemistry and went on to Imperial College London to gain a post-graduate Diploma in chemical engineering.

The following year, 1939, he took on his first industrial role with Albright & Wilson in Oldbury, involved with munitions and related work. He became the company's chief chemical engineer in 1949 and Deputy Chief Engineer in 1954. His principal achievement while he was at Albright & Wilson was the introduction of a direct hydration process for the manufacture of phosphoric acid from phosphorus, particularly important in the light of the Tennessee Valley Authority having stated, after considerable research, that the concept was technically too difficult.

In 1957 British-American Tobacco Co Ltd invited him to become the manager of its newly formed Research & Development Establishment in Southampton. Three years in Southampton saw the development of a highly successful process for the reconstitution of tobacco and it reflects much on Hugh Anderson's professional skill and competence that these developments remain very much in commercial and successful operation at the time of his presidency. He then moved to BAT headquarters in London as scientific adviser to the main board to work on the non-tobacco side of the business, joining the boards of a number of subsidiary companies.

Hugh Anderson's long association with the Institution started when he was volunteered, without choice, into student membership back in 1938, successfully upgrading until being admitted into Fellowship in January 1950.

He was first elected to the Council in 1955 and was a member during 1957 when the Royal Charter was granted. He has served as Chairman of the Nominations Committee and continuously as an officer of the Institution since 1965, first as Honorary Secretary for a period of seven years, then from 1973 as Honorary Treasurer until taking over as President. In 1971 he was awarded the Arnold Greene Medal in recognition of his distinguished service.

In addition to all his other duties, Hugh Anderson has maintained strong connections with the City of London. He was invited to become a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Salters' Company in 1959 and was elected to the Court of the Company in 1970 and became Upper Warden in 1973. In June 1974 he became Master and among his duties was the 'topping out' of the new Hall in Fore Street (the old Salters Hall in St Swithins Lane having been destroyed by bombing in 1941).