GB 0402 SSC/30 - DARWIN, Sir George Howard (1845-1912)

Five folders

GB 0402 SSC/30 1900-1912 Collection level Five folders Darwin , Sir , George Howard , 1845-1912 , Knight , mathematician and astronomer

Sir George Howard Darwin was born on 9 July 1845 at Down House, Downe, Kent and was the second son of the naturalist, Charles Darwin; educated from 1856 at Clapham grammar school, he studied mathematics and science. Darwin failed to gain entrance scholarships at the University of Cambridge in 1863 and 1864, but matriculated at Trinity College in 1864. In 1866, Darwin won a foundation scholarship at Trinity and in 1868 was placed second wrangler in the tripos, winning the second Smith's prize; later that autumn he was elected a Fellow of Trinity. Darwin made law his profession, studying in London from 1869 to 1872, though he never practised due to illness. He turned to scientific pursuits, returning to Trinity in 1873.

Darwin studied the solar system, tidal theory, geodesy and dynamic meteorology. His first major scientific paper concerned geodesy and was entitled 'On the influence of geological changes on the earth's axis of rotation', it was read before the Royal Society in 1876. In 1879 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and by the mid-1880s he was well on his way to becoming a central figure of the scientific aristocracy of late Victorian and Edwardian Britain. In 1883 he succeeded James Challis as Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at Cambridge and won the Telford medal of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Darwin was an influential member of the Seismological Congress and the meteorological council to the Royal Society.

By the 1890s, Darwin was considered Britain's leading geodesist; he urged his country's membership in the International Geodetic Association,and later became its vice-president. Darwin's researches laid the groundwork for the startling growth of the geophysical sciences and in 1911 he was awarded the Copley medal of the Royal Society, the country's highest scientific distinction. Darwin was made a Knight Commander of the Bath in 1905 after his successful presidency of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Darwin died at Newnham Grange on 7 December 1912 of cancer.

Donated by Lady Darwin 1913.

Papers of Sir George Howard Darwin, 1900-1912, comprise files of printed papers and correspondence on the International Geodetic Conference held in London 1909, concerning administrative and social matters, but also letters from Gen Ardagh and SG Burrard (Survey of India).

None expected

Folders divided by subjects.

Accessible via The Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.

Photocopying at Archivist's discretion, and subject to completion of 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.

English, French, German, Italian

MSS, typescripts, print: in good condition.

The RGS archives: a handlist / compiled by Christine Kelly. London: RGS, 1977 and catalogue entry online at Access to Archives.

Correspondence block 1881-1910. Fifty one letters from Sir G Darwin to Sir David Gill in the Gill Collection.

Prepared by Archives Volunteer using DNB and existing finding aids and edited by Samantha Velumyl, AIM25 cataloguer.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

14 January 2002 and May 2008. Scientific development Communication process Group communication Information sciences Conferences Communications media Publications Books Conference papers Geodesy Geophysics Darwin , Sir , George Howard , 1845-1912 , Knight , mathematician and astronomer International Geodetic Conference, London 1909

Donated by Lady Darwin 1913.

Papers of Sir George Howard Darwin, 1900-1912, comprise files of printed papers and correspondence on the International Geodetic Conference held in London 1909, concerning administrative and social matters, but also letters from Gen Ardagh and SG Burrard (Survey of India).

None expected

Folders divided by subjects.

Accessible via The Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.

Photocopying at Archivist's discretion, and subject to completion of 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.

• English

• Latin

English, French, German, Italian

Correspondence block 1881-1910. Fifty one letters from Sir G Darwin to Sir David Gill in the Gill Collection.

The RGS archives: a handlist / compiled by Christine Kelly. London: RGS, 1977 and catalogue entry online at Access to Archives.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

• English