Showing 8 results

The papers are extensive, relating to almost every aspect of Blackett's career in science and public life. There is biographical and personal material including large numbers of letters of congratulation received on the occasion of the various scientific and public awards and honours with which Blackett's achievements were recognised. There are records of his work on particle disintegration, cosmic rays, astrophysics and magnetism in the form of laboratory notebooks, working papers, correspondence, lectures, publications and broadcasts. There is documentation of his activities on various defence projects and as a member of government committees before, during and after the Second World War. Blackett's political interests are represented by material relating to the Association of Scientific Workers, Labour Party discussion groups on science and technology policy and the Ministry of Technology instituted after the Party's 1964 electoral victory. There are records of a wide range of science-related interests such as the history of science and technology, science, education and government, and nuclear weapons and disarmament, and of his overseas activities including material relating specifically to India and that concerned with matters more generally affecting developing countries.

A few lacunae in the surviving material have been identified. There are no documents relative to Blackett's service with the National Research and Development Corporation or the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and, of his correspondence during the Second World War, only that for 1942 survives.

Papers of John Canton.

Correspondence and documents relating to the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the discovery of X-rays, 1945 with the British Institute of Radiology.

Correspondence, mainly to Martin Folkes on a large variety of subjects, including administrative matters for the Royal Society.

Extensive correspondence of Sir Joseph Larmor relating to his work on electromagnetic theory, optics, analytical mechanics, and geodynamics.

Manuscripts of meteorological observations, with magnetic surveys and tide tables. The series contains 393 sets of results in all formats from tables to diaries, in all sizes from single sheets to runs of several volumes and from all areas of the world. This type of record has been solicited by the Society during several periods of its history. Its own observations until 1843 (when the duties were transferred to the Royal Greenwich Observatory) are recorded in 16 volumes for the period 1827-1843 (MA.230-249). Various other manuscripts cover the information gathering done by the Meteorological Committee.
Includes MA.154 observations sent by Michael Faraday to the Royal Society.

Letters from Sir Robert Moray to his friend Alexander Bruce, Earl of Kincardine, also known as 'The Kincardine Papers'. Bruce was sick of the ague in Bremen for part of this time, and the letters were written to alleviate the tedium of of Bruce's illness, hence ranging over topics which might not otherwise have been the subjects of correspondence. They include accounts of chemical experiments in his laboratory, his interest in magnetism, medicine in all its aspects, horticulture, fuel, whale fishing, its risks and profits, coal mining, water wheels and tide mills, stone quarrying and the various qualities of different stones, the pumping works needed for undersea coal mines at Bruce's home at Culross in Fifeshire, even to the trees whose wood was best for pipelines, and the diameter of the bore best suited to the purpose. Familiarity is shown with mathematical and surveying instruments, with music, and all sorts of mechanical devices and especially clocks and watches, more particularly the taking out of a patent in respect of a clock for use at sea for finding longitude. Bruce is advised on the choice of books over a wide range of subjects. Moray includes anecdotes to amuse his ailing correspondent; he describes his quiet life and is enthusiastic about many of his chemical experiments. Notable at the end of the letters Moray added what he described as his Masonic signature - a pentagram which also occurs in his crest.

Notes by W E Ingham describing 'the true nature of the X-ray research carried out by Godfrey Hounsfield in creating the X-ray scanner. The notes also cover the little known but massive involvement of Godfrey and his team in assisting the newly formed EMI Medical Division whilst, at the same time, still continuing their research in the Research Laboratory. The difficult conditions under which Hounsfield worked make the magnitude of his achievement even greater.

'The notes are not a comprehensive history, but they provide a record of some of the key events that may be known only to the Director of the Central Research Laboratory (CRL) and a few others, before the information is lost.'