Gimingham, Charles Henry 1853 - 1890

(1853-1890), Chemist

Charles Henry Gimigham, born in 1853, was apprenticed to William Crookes straight from the City of London School in May 1869. Under Crooks' tuition, Gimingham soon became a capable glass-blower, an excellent mechanic, an accurate analyst and essential partner in the prosecution of Crookes' work on thallium and its extension. On reaching his majority in 1874, Crookes paid Gimingham a salary which he received from the Royal Society's government grant.

Although Crookes never put Gimingham's name on his publications he frequently acknowledged his assistance handsomely - something he had not done with previous assistants. In 1877, however, Crookes encouraged Gimingham to publish an independent account of the vacuum pump apparatus he had developed, an account Crookes could have easily published under his own name as Gimingham's employer. Gimingham was always addressed as Charlie.

It was suggested by magic historian Barry Wiley, that Gimingham was a secret accomplice in fooling Crookes into believing Anna Eva Fay had genuine psychic powers by beating the galvanometer tests.