George Eltenton

George Charles Eltenton (14 April 1905 – 26 April 1991) was an English physicist, specialising in chemical physics and a pioneer of mass spectrometry. He was a Fellow of the Physical Society. He and his wife were suspected of being agents of the USSR looking for US atom bomb secrets. He was named by Robert Oppenheimer when interviewed by the Atomic Energy Commission which resulted in Oppenheimer being stripped of his security clearance, in the so-called Chevalier Incident.

Personal life Eltenton was born in Manchester on 14 April 1905. He attended Bedales School and studied physics at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating with a first-class in Part I of the natural sciences tripos and a second in Part II. He married Ada Dorothea Hamilton (1904–2001) Ann became a ballerina under the stage name Anya Linden. Jane was born in Russia. Eltenton died on 26 April 1991 in Heswall, Merseyside. Here he produced significant work on free radical mass spectrometry.

In 1947 he returned to England, joining the research laboratory of Shell plc at Ellesmere Port, later transferring to the physics laboratory of Stanlow Refinery and producing a number of patents. This was a happy time, despite primitive conditions compared with England, and she writes admiringly of the socialist society they experienced as it developed, with its community spirit, sexual equality and people's local democratic participation in decisions relating to work and public services. In particular they appreciated the free education and free health service. Her experience of maternity and post-natal care was favourably compared with that in the UK (a decade before the introduction of the National Health Service).

On vacations George Eltenton was able to enjoy his passions for motorcycling and rock climbing.

US 1938–1947 Eltenton was an open admirer of the USSR and its people. and was at a meeting where Robert Oppenheimer encouraged the formation of a section at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

In 1939, with the beginning of the Second World War he contacted the British Embassy to volunteer, but was told his work for the oil company was better use of his talents. In 1941 the USSR was invaded by Germany, and he and his wife became active members of the Russian War Relief organization.

In May 1942, after the US had also joined the war and was therefore an ally of the USSR, the Eltentons had Piotr Ivanov, the vice consul of the Soviet consulate in San Francisco as a dinner guest. It was there that Ivanov raised the possibility of atomic research being shared between the US and the USSR, and suggested three scientists who might be prepared to do so, if discretion could be assured. Eltenton was doubtful, but agreed to ask a mutual friend Haakon Chevalier to suggest this to Oppenheimer. Chevalier reported back that Oppenheimer was not interested, but when the fact of the approach was revealed by Oppenheimer in 1946, Eltenton was interviewed by the FBI.

UK 1947–1991 Shortly after being named in testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee, the Eltentons returned to England. He first took a senior position at the Shell physics research laboratory, but after investigation by MI5 was moved to an area solely concerned with refinery operations.

Publications

Patents Magnetic method of pipe-line inspection, (1950). Photoelectric colorimeter, (1950). Refractive index measurement of fluids, (1951). Process for the purification of spent sulphuric acid, (1952). Infrared gas analyzer, (1954). Improvements in and relating to the preparation of oil solutions of highly basic polyvalent metal salts of organic acids, (1956). Process for removing coal and carbonaceous material from used sulfuric acid, (1957). Improvements in or relating to apparatus for measuring vapour pressure, (1957). Improvements in and relating to the preparation of basic polyvalent metal salts of organic acids, (1958). Sulphonation of organic liquids, (1960). A method of and apparatus for separating liquid phases, (1965). Rotary separation of viscous pseudo-plastics, (1965).