Mr. Herbert Knapman

Abstract

IN Herbert Knapman, registrar of the University of Reading, who died on Aug. 14 at the age of fifty-two years, the lover of music and philosophy and the tireless organiser had long survived the brilliant mathematician who went to Cambridge from Rugby in 1898, was second wrangler in 1901, Smith's prizeman in 1903, and a fellow of Emmanuel College from 1903 until 1909. He joined the staff of University College, Reading, in 1903 as a lecturer in mathematics. If as a teacher he inspired awe of himself rather than love of his subject, the intense thoroughness which was his second nature brought a measure of success, and for a time he was even interested in the technique of imparting knowledge. Nevertheless, the steady transfer of his energies to the field of administration was a congenial development, and although the co-ordination of innumerable details seemed to his colleagues sometimes to be a waste of his intellect, there is no reason for supposing that the services which he performed, especially just after the War and at the time of the foundation of the University, so much better than a man less able could have hoped to do, withheld him from any more valuable work that he might have accomplished. The only work which he did as a mathematician was on the Subject Index of Pure Mathematics for the Royal Society Catalogue of Scientific Papers.