Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- Created 1828-1951 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
6 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Born, York, 1851; educated at Bootham School, York; Flounders' Institute, Pontefract; Royal College of Chemistry, 1875-1876; Science master, York; Professor of Experimental Physics, University College, Bristol, 1876-1885; Principal and Professor of Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering, Finsbury Technical College, 1885-1916; President of the Physical Society; President of the Institution of Electrical Engineers; particularly noted for his work in electrical engineering; died, 1916.
Publications: include: Dynamo-Electric Machinery: a manual for students of electrotechnics Second edition (E & F N Spon, London, 1884); Light Visible and Invisible. A series of lectures delivered at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, at Christmas, 1896, with additional lectures (Macmillan & Co, London, 1897); Michael Faraday. His life and work (Cassell & Co, London, 1898); Optical Tables and Data for the use of opticians (E & F N Spon, London, 1900); Contributions to Photographic Optics by Otto Lummer, translated and augmented by S P Thompson (Macmillan & Co, London, 1900); The Life of William Thomson, Baron Kelvin of Largs (Macmillan & Co, London, 1910); Calculus made Easy (Macmillan & Co, London, 1910).
Archival history
The letters written by Michael Faraday to Richard Phillips were given to Professor Thomson by Lady Wilson, the daughter of Phillips. Autographs collected by Professor Thomson's father and grandfather are also included in the collection.
GB 0098 B/THOMPSON Created 1828-1951 Collection (fonds) 6 boxes Thompson , Silvanus Phillips , 1851-1916 , physicist
Born, York, 1851; educated at Bootham School, York; Flounders' Institute, Pontefract; Royal College of Chemistry, 1875-1876; Science master, York; Professor of Experimental Physics, University College, Bristol, 1876-1885; Principal and Professor of Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering, Finsbury Technical College, 1885-1916; President of the Physical Society; President of the Institution of Electrical Engineers; particularly noted for his work in electrical engineering; died, 1916.
Publications: include: Dynamo-Electric Machinery: a manual for students of electrotechnics Second edition (E & F N Spon, London, 1884); Light Visible and Invisible. A series of lectures delivered at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, at Christmas, 1896, with additional lectures (Macmillan & Co, London, 1897); Michael Faraday. His life and work (Cassell & Co, London, 1898); Optical Tables and Data for the use of opticians (E & F N Spon, London, 1900); Contributions to Photographic Optics by Otto Lummer, translated and augmented by S P Thompson (Macmillan & Co, London, 1900); The Life of William Thomson, Baron Kelvin of Largs (Macmillan & Co, London, 1910); Calculus made Easy (Macmillan & Co, London, 1910).
The letters written by Michael Faraday to Richard Phillips were given to Professor Thomson by Lady Wilson, the daughter of Phillips. Autographs collected by Professor Thomson's father and grandfather are also included in the collection.
The papers were presented by Miss Helen Thompson, daughter of Professor Thompson, in 1962.
Papers of Professor Silvanus Phillips Thompson, 1828-1951, comprising correspondence, 1828-1919, notably with William Edward Ayrton, 1883-1899; Sir William Fletcher Barrett, [1878-1896]; Antoine Henri Becquerel, 1902-1908; Alexander Graham Bell, 1879-1880, concerning his experiments with the telephone; Sir Wiliam Crookes, 1876-1916; Michael Faraday, 1830-1835 [written to Richard Phillips]; Sir William Huggins, 1879-1907; David Edward Hughes, 1884-[1912], concerning magnetism; Sir Joseph Larmor, 1902-1916; Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge, 1897-1919; Sir James Augustus Henry Murray, 1904-1913; Augusto Righi, [1902]-1916; William Thomson, 1882-1907; notes and printed material, [1907]-1951; photographs and prints, 1870-1910, notably photographs of friends and family.
The records are arranged in sections as outlined in the scope and content.
Researchers wishing to consult the Archives should first contact the College Archivist, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, for an appointment.
A photocopying service is available at the discretion of the Archivist. Photocopies are supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Archivist.
English, French, German, Italian.
A catalogue is available in the reading room of the College Archives.
Records relating to Finsbury Technical College (FA), City and Guilds of London Institute (F), City and Guilds College (FC-FS) and the Department of Physics (KP), held at Imperial College.
Papers and correspondence, 1877-1916 (reference: SC Mss 3), correspondence and papers including working notes, (reference: SC Mss 4) and letters to Oliver Heaviside, 1887-1915 (reference: SC Mss 5), held at the Institution of Electrical Engineers Archives Department; correspondence, 1891-1909, held at London University Library (reference: AL304); correspondence with Lord Kelvin, 1884-1905, (reference: Add 7342, 7656) and letters to Sir George Stokes and Sir Joseph Larmor, c 1889-1909, (reference: Add 7342, 7656), held at Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives; correspondence with Sir Oliver Lodge, 1883-1916, held at London University: University College Manuscripts Room (reference: MS ADD 89); letters to the Royal Astronomical Society, 1875-1896 held by the Royal Astronomical Society Library (reference: RAS letters); correspondence held at Sussex University Library Manuscript Collections; correspondence held at the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Library.
Silvanus Phillips Thompson ... His life and letters Jane Smeal Thompson and Helen G Thompson (Fisher Unwin, London, 1920)
Sources: Who Was Who (A & C Black, 1947, volume II); British Library On-Line Publications Acess Catalogue 97; National Register of Archives. Compiled by Julie Tancell as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. 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. November 2000 Ayrton , William Edward , 1847-1908 , electrical engineer and physicist Barrett , Sir , William Fletcher , 1844-1925 , Knight , physicist Becquerel , Antoine Henri , 1852-1908 , French physicist Bell , Alexander Graham , 1847-1922 , inventor Crookes , Sir , William , 1832-1919 , Knight , chemist Faraday , Michael , 1791-1867 , chemist and natural philosopher Huggins , Sir , William , 1824-1910 , Knight , astronomer Hughes , David Edward , 1831-1900 , electrical engineer Larmor , Sir , Joseph , 1857-1942 , Knight , physicist Lodge , Sir , Oliver Joseph , 1851-1940 , Knight , physicist Murray , Sir , James Augustus Henry , 1837-1915 , Knight , lexicographer Photographs Physicists Righi , Augusto , 1850-1920 , Italian physicist Scientific personnel Scientists Telecommunications Telecommunications equipment Telephone Telephone engineering Thomson , William , 1824-1907 , 1st Baron Kelvin , physicist x Kelvin , 1st Baron Visual materials Communication methods Communication Personnel People by occupation People
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The papers were presented by Miss Helen Thompson, daughter of Professor Thompson, in 1962.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Professor Silvanus Phillips Thompson, 1828-1951, comprising correspondence, 1828-1919, notably with William Edward Ayrton, 1883-1899; Sir William Fletcher Barrett, [1878-1896]; Antoine Henri Becquerel, 1902-1908; Alexander Graham Bell, 1879-1880, concerning his experiments with the telephone; Sir Wiliam Crookes, 1876-1916; Michael Faraday, 1830-1835 [written to Richard Phillips]; Sir William Huggins, 1879-1907; David Edward Hughes, 1884-[1912], concerning magnetism; Sir Joseph Larmor, 1902-1916; Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge, 1897-1919; Sir James Augustus Henry Murray, 1904-1913; Augusto Righi, [1902]-1916; William Thomson, 1882-1907; notes and printed material, [1907]-1951; photographs and prints, 1870-1910, notably photographs of friends and family.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The records are arranged in sections as outlined in the scope and content.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Researchers wishing to consult the Archives should first contact the College Archivist, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, for an appointment.
Conditions governing reproduction
A photocopying service is available at the discretion of the Archivist. Photocopies are supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Archivist.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English, French, German, Italian.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Records relating to Finsbury Technical College (FA), City and Guilds of London Institute (F), City and Guilds College (FC-FS) and the Department of Physics (KP), held at Imperial College.
Finding aids
A catalogue is available in the reading room of the College Archives.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Papers and correspondence, 1877-1916 (reference: SC Mss 3), correspondence and papers including working notes, (reference: SC Mss 4) and letters to Oliver Heaviside, 1887-1915 (reference: SC Mss 5), held at the Institution of Electrical Engineers Archives Department; correspondence, 1891-1909, held at London University Library (reference: AL304); correspondence with Lord Kelvin, 1884-1905, (reference: Add 7342, 7656) and letters to Sir George Stokes and Sir Joseph Larmor, c 1889-1909, (reference: Add 7342, 7656), held at Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives; correspondence with Sir Oliver Lodge, 1883-1916, held at London University: University College Manuscripts Room (reference: MS ADD 89); letters to the Royal Astronomical Society, 1875-1896 held by the Royal Astronomical Society Library (reference: RAS letters); correspondence held at Sussex University Library Manuscript Collections; correspondence held at the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Library.
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
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.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English