RSC - Advancing the Chemical Sciences



Fun and facts
A purple rainbow

Purple the colour


Purple is any group of colours with a hue between deep blue and red. This includes violet, mauve, magenta, indigo and lilac.
David Tennant as Doctor Who

Doctor Who


According to Doctor Who, mauve is the universally recognised code for danger, not red as used by humans.
The Purple Heart

The Purple Heart


The oldest military decoration in the world introduced by General George Washington and awarded to members of the US armed forces who are wounded or killed in action.
Lily Savage and Dame Edna Everage wrapped in a purple ribbon
Purple is the colour most associated with drag queens such as Dame Edna Everage and Lily Savage.
Purple ribbons are used for Cancer Awareness.
The singer Prince

Prince


The artist Prince, 1984 album 'Purple Rain' made him a superstar selling over ten million copies in the US and was at number one for 24 weeks. He also got in trouble with his basketball star landlord for personalising his Hollywood mansion in purple.
The Joker from Batman and Jonathan Ross
The Joker from the batman comics and TV presenter Jonathan Ross dress in purple suits.
Chocolate bar

Cadbury Dairy Milk


The original colour of the packaging of Cadbury Dairy Milk in 1905 (at the end of the 'mauve' decade) was a light mauve and this has been adapted to the purple colour of Cadbury we see today.
A group of ladies from the Red Hat Society

Red Hat Society


(purple fashion for the older generation!)The Red Hat Society celebrates life after 50. Members under 50 have to wear a pink hat with lavender, whereas when you 'come of age' at 50 you are allowed to wear the traditional red hat with purple. There are branches of this society all over the world.
A statue of Dionysus

Greek mythology


Dionysus was the Greek god of wine. His Roman name was Bacchus. He wore beautiful robes of flowing purple (the colour of wine). According to the Greek legend Dionysus’s tears were the origin of amethyst.
An Amethyst

Amethyst : a royal purple


Amethyst, transparent purple quartz, is the most important quartz variety used in jewellery. Its colour ranges from pale lilac to a deep royal purple. Fine amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels.
An example of a purple prose

Purple Prose



Purple prose consists of words and phrases that sound stilted, overly descriptive, or cliché and is derived from a reference by the Roman poet Horace.