Mathematics at Edinburgh: Sir Edmund Whittaker, F.R.S.E

Abstract

ON September 30, Sir Edmund Whittaker vacates the chair of mathematics in the University of Edin burgh, a field for a third of a century. Educated Mipichester Grammar School and Tuiity plllege, Cambridge, he was second wrangler (with J. H. Grace), Bromwich being senior wrangler; afterwards, he was first Smith's Prizeman ancrhe was elected to a fellowship at Trinity in 1896. Much of Sir Edmund's earlier scientific interest centred in theoretical astronomy, particularly in celestial mechanics; during 1901-7 he was secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society and in 1906 he was appointed Royal Astronomer of Ireland. Although his election to the chair of mathematics at Edinburgh in 1912 terminated his official astronomical career, Sir Edmund retains a lively interest in theoretical astronomy, particularly, in these latter days, in the problems of relativistic cosmogony to which he has made some notable contributions, among which may be mentioned his Riddell Lectures at Durham in 1941 on “The Beginning and End of the World”. One of his achievements at Edinburgh was the institution of a Mathematical Laboratory in which students obtained a training in the science and practice of computing; the “Calculus of Observations” written by him in collaboration with G. Robinson (a member of his staff) is now the standard work in this field of mathematical discipline. Sir Edmund's other books are “Modern Analysis”(with G. N, Watspn), “Treatise on Analytical Dynamics”, “Theory of Optical Instruments"and the “History of the Theories of the Aether and Electricity”. When Sir Arthur Eddington died in 1944, he left a nearly completed manuscript of a book on “The Fundamen tal Constants of Nature”; there could only be one choice of editor to see the book through the press, and Sir Edmund has given his time unsparingly in this cause, now nearing fruition.