Leslie John Comrie 1893-1950

Abstract

The death in December 1950 of Leslie John Comrie at the early age of fifty-seven brought to an end a career which has been, and will continue to be, of the greatest influence on exact scientific and technical work of all kinds. Comrie was a pioneer in scientific computation and played a vital part in refining arithmetical methods to the stage necessary for them to play their destined role in scientific research both pure and applied. There is hardly a branch of scientific work in which the use of refined numerical methods can be avoided except at great loss of precision and insight. Whole new subjects could hardly have developed at all if modern computational facilities were not available. Very many techniques of leading importance in industry also depend on precise numerical calculation for their success. All these features of modern science and technology owe much to Comrie’s realization of the potentialities of machine computation, his ingenuity and energy in adapting existing equipment, and the very high quality of all the work he carried out. Comrie was born in Pukekohe, New Zealand, on 15 August 1893. He was the elder son of John Alexander and Lois Helen Comrie. His paternal grandparents who were born in Perth, migrated to New Zealand in the 1850’s. After a primary education at Pukekohe East School from 1900-1907 and a year at the Pukekohe High School he entered Auckland Grammar School. Here he came under the influence of J. W. Tibbs, the Headmaster, who played an important part in directing Comrie’s interests, among which numbers already featured prominently towards a scientific career. To this end Comrie entered the University College, Auckland, in 1912, where he studied mathematics, physics, chemistry and Latin. Although of these chemistry was his main subject, his interest in astronomy was stimulated by the presence at the College of a four-inch equatorial reflector and while still a student he joined the British Astronomical Association, a body through which he was later to carry out much fruitful work.