Maxwell, James Clerk, 1831-1879 (Professor, scientist, physicist)
Dates
- Existence: 1831 - 1879
Biography
James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) was born in Edinburgh. In 1841 he became a pupil at the Edinburgh Academy and in 1847 entered the University of Edinburgh, attending lectures on mathematics, natural philosophy, chemistry, and mental philosophy. In October 1850 he became an undergraduate of Peterhouse, Cambridge, transferring to Trinity College in December of that year. He graduated in 1854 and in 1855 was elected a fellow of Trinity. During the next year he was appointed professor of natural philosophy in Marischal College, Aberdeen, and in 1858 married Katherine Mary Dewar, the daughter of the principal. In 1860 he became professor of natural philosophy in King's College, London. He resigned the post in 1865, returning to private life at Glenlair, but in 1871 was induced to come forward as a candidate for the new chair of experimental physics at Cambridge, to which he was elected unopposed. The work of the professorship occupied Maxwell for the next five years. He died on 5 November 1879, following an illness. Maxwell carried out research into the effects of combinations of colours by means of the rapid rotation of discs coloured differently in different parts. This became known as his colour-top. His conclusions on primary colours and colour-blindness led to him being awarded the Rumford medal of the Royal Society in 1860. Maxwell also examined the question of the distribution of velocity in a gas and was involved in research and experiments concerning electricity and magnetism, on which he wrote a number of important papers.
Found in 57 Collections and/or Records:
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to Joseph Thomson, 27 Mar. 1875 (SLP 557)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to Joseph Thomson, 26 June 1875 (SLP 562)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to Joseph Thomson, 8 July 1875 (SLP 564)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to Joseph Thomson, 25 June 1879 (SLP 750)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to Josiah Latimer Clark, 16 July 1872 (SLP 418)
A principal series of scientific correspondence, drafts and notes totalling 242 items, letters written to J.C. Maxwell from many scientists and institutions of Maxwell's day dating from his early days at Cambridge University until the day of his death.
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to Messrs D. and J. Graham, 26 July 1879 (SLP 751)
A principal series of scientific correspondence, drafts and notes totalling 242 items, letters written to J.C. Maxwell from many scientists and institutions of Maxwell's day dating from his early days at Cambridge University until the day of his death.
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 3 Dec. 1856 (SLP 108)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 15 Feb. 1857 (SLP 113)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 21 Nov. 1857 (SLP 136)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 9 Mar. 1859 (SLP 156)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 11 Nov. 1859 (SLP 165)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 7 Mar. 1865 (SLP 244)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 17 June 1865 (SLP 249)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 4 Apr. 1866 (SLP 262)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 4 Apr. 1871 (SLP 366)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 15 July 1872 (SLP 417)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to P.G. Tait, 3 Mar. 1873 (SLP 443)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to Sir John Ambrose Fleming; equations in Maxwell's hand, plus photograph of Maxwell, 14 Jan. 1875-1878 (SLP 548 (22a))
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to Sir William Siemens, 23 June 1871 (SLP 378)
Modern copies or transcriptions of correspondence of J.C. Maxwell and others in this collection or elsewhere, including typescripts and facsimiles
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to Thomas Graham, Master of the Mint, 1 May 1865 (SLP 248)
A principal series of scientific correspondence, drafts and notes totalling 242 items, letters written to J.C. Maxwell from many scientists and institutions of Maxwell's day dating from his early days at Cambridge University until the day of his death.
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to W. Thomson, 14 Mar. 1871 (SLP 362)
A principal series of scientific correspondence, drafts and notes totalling 242 items, letters written to J.C. Maxwell from many scientists and institutions of Maxwell's day dating from his early days at Cambridge University until the day of his death.
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to W. Thomson, 8 Feb. 1872 (SLP 402)
A principal series of scientific correspondence, drafts and notes totalling 242 items, letters written to J.C. Maxwell from many scientists and institutions of Maxwell's day dating from his early days at Cambridge University until the day of his death.
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to W. Thomson, 10 Aug. 1872 (SLP 420n)
A principal series of scientific correspondence, drafts and notes totalling 242 items, letters written to J.C. Maxwell from many scientists and institutions of Maxwell's day dating from his early days at Cambridge University until the day of his death.
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to W. Thomson, 17 Apr. 1865
A principal series of scientific correspondence, drafts and notes totalling 242 items, letters written to J.C. Maxwell from many scientists and institutions of Maxwell's day dating from his early days at Cambridge University until the day of his death.
Letter from J.C. Maxwell to W. Thomson, 14 Apr. 1870 (SLP 339)
With notes by way of reply added by Thomson
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 52
- Collection 5
- Subject
- Physics 2
- Electromagnetism 1
- Mathematics 1
- Thermodynamics 1