GB 0100 KCLCA KDPY/FP - King's College London Department of Physics Student Records

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0100 KCLCA KDPY/FP

Title

King's College London Department of Physics Student Records

Date(s)

  • 1935-1981 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

6 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Instruction in physics began in 1831 in the form of lectures in natural and experimental philosophy delivered to students in the Senior Department, from 1839 the Department of General Literature and Science and later the Department of Applied Sciences. Natural and experimental divisions were separated in 1834 when Charles Wheatstone was appointed Professor of Experimental Philosophy, a post he occupied until his death in 1875. Classes in natural philosophy were available to Evening Class students and students of the Medical Faculty and Faculty of Engineering, but the Physics Department properly became part of the Faculty of Science in 1893. In 1923 Physics became part of the Faculty of Natural Science, which later formed part of the Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. This became the School of Physical Sciences and Engineering in 1991. Charles Wheatstone, responsible for pioneering experiments in the fields of electric telegraphy, batteries, harmonics and optics, upon his death bequeathed an extensive collection of scientific instruments and equipment to the College to form the Wheatstone Laboratory, one of the earliest physical laboratories in the country. Other notables include James Clerk Maxwell, pioneer in the study of electromagnetism, who was Professor of Natural Philosophy, 1860-1865; Charles Glover Barkla, Wheatstone Professor of Physics, 1909-1914, who whilst at the University of Edinburgh was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1917 for work on X-rays; Sir Owen Richardson, Wheatstone Professor of Physics, 1914-1922, awarded a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1928 for prior work on thermionics undertaken at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge; Sir Edward Appleton, Wheatstone Professor of Physics, 1924-1936, who conducted experiments on the interaction of radio waves with the earth's atmosphere at the Strand and at the College's Halley Stewart Laboratories, Hampstead, for which he was subsequently awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1947, whilst employed by the British Government's Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; and Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins, Deputy Director of the Medical Research Council Biophysics Research Unit, later the Department of Biophysics, King's College London, 1955, whose work on the structure of the DNA molecule was rewarded with the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1962.

Archival history

GB 0100 KCLCA KDPY/FP 1935-1981 Series level descriptions of King's College London Archives 6 boxes King's College London Department of Physics
Instruction in physics began in 1831 in the form of lectures in natural and experimental philosophy delivered to students in the Senior Department, from 1839 the Department of General Literature and Science and later the Department of Applied Sciences. Natural and experimental divisions were separated in 1834 when Charles Wheatstone was appointed Professor of Experimental Philosophy, a post he occupied until his death in 1875. Classes in natural philosophy were available to Evening Class students and students of the Medical Faculty and Faculty of Engineering, but the Physics Department properly became part of the Faculty of Science in 1893. In 1923 Physics became part of the Faculty of Natural Science, which later formed part of the Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. This became the School of Physical Sciences and Engineering in 1991. Charles Wheatstone, responsible for pioneering experiments in the fields of electric telegraphy, batteries, harmonics and optics, upon his death bequeathed an extensive collection of scientific instruments and equipment to the College to form the Wheatstone Laboratory, one of the earliest physical laboratories in the country. Other notables include James Clerk Maxwell, pioneer in the study of electromagnetism, who was Professor of Natural Philosophy, 1860-1865; Charles Glover Barkla, Wheatstone Professor of Physics, 1909-1914, who whilst at the University of Edinburgh was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1917 for work on X-rays; Sir Owen Richardson, Wheatstone Professor of Physics, 1914-1922, awarded a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1928 for prior work on thermionics undertaken at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge; Sir Edward Appleton, Wheatstone Professor of Physics, 1924-1936, who conducted experiments on the interaction of radio waves with the earth's atmosphere at the Strand and at the College's Halley Stewart Laboratories, Hampstead, for which he was subsequently awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1947, whilst employed by the British Government's Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; and Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins, Deputy Director of the Medical Research Council Biophysics Research Unit, later the Department of Biophysics, King's College London, 1955, whose work on the structure of the DNA molecule was rewarded with the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1962.

King's College London Department of Physics student record cards, 1935-1981 (Ref: KDPY/FP). Information typically contained includes basic biographical details: name, permanent address, nationality, date of birth, schooling, particulars of scholarships or exhibitions at King's, other funding, date of entering College, dates of taking exams, degree and class, and College activities. Some cards also include a photograph.

Organised chronologically by year of graduation, then alphabetically.

Subject to an eighty year closure period from date of leaving, but may be consulted by Departmental staff and other appropriate College members with permission from the Head of Department.

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, can be supplied to Departmental staff. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Director of Archive Services, King's College London.
English

Detailed lists are available for consultation in the King's College London Archives Reading Room.

King's College London Department of Physics Records (Refs: KDPY/F; 1984/KDPY; 1990/KDPY; 1998/KDPY); King's College London School of Physical Sciences and Engineering Records (Ref: K/SPSE).

Sources: King's College London catalogues. Compiled by Beverley Ager as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997; ISAD(G), Second edition, 2000. March 2002 Educational evaluation Educational levels Examinations Higher education Higher education institutions King's College London , Department of Physics Photographs Physics education Science education Student evaluation Students Universities University students Visual materials Educational institutions

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

King's College London Department of Physics student record cards, 1935-1981 (Ref: KDPY/FP). Information typically contained includes basic biographical details: name, permanent address, nationality, date of birth, schooling, particulars of scholarships or exhibitions at King's, other funding, date of entering College, dates of taking exams, degree and class, and College activities. Some cards also include a photograph.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Organised chronologically by year of graduation, then alphabetically.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Subject to an eighty year closure period from date of leaving, but may be consulted by Departmental staff and other appropriate College members with permission from the Head of Department.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, can be supplied to Departmental staff. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Director of Archive Services, King's College London.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

King's College London Department of Physics Records (Refs: KDPY/F; 1984/KDPY; 1990/KDPY; 1998/KDPY); King's College London School of Physical Sciences and Engineering Records (Ref: K/SPSE).

Finding aids

Detailed lists are available for consultation in the King's College London Archives Reading Room.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

King's College London College Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997; ISAD(G), Second edition, 2000.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area