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Authorised form of nameWhewell; William (1794 - 1866); college head and writer on the history and philosophy of science
Dates1794 - 1866
NationalityBritish
Place of birthBrock Street, Lancaster, England
Date of birth24 May 1794
Place of deathTrinity College, Cambridge
Date of death06 March 1866
DatesAndPlacesBurial:
Trinity College antechapel, Cambridge
ActivityEducation:
MA
Career:
First person to give the term 'scientist' its modern meaning; Died from a mortal injury caused from falling from his bolting horse, Trinity College, Cambridge
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election13/04/1820
RSActivityRoyal Society roles:
VP 1835-1836, 1858-1860
Medals and prizes:
Royal Medal 1837
Lectures:
Bakerian 1848
SourceSources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB
Obituaries:
Proc Roy Soc 1867-1868 vol 16 pp li-lxi signed by J F W H
References:
S Ross, 'Faraday Consults the Scholars: the Origins of the Terms of Electrochemistry' in NR 1961 vol 16 pp 187-220, plate
R Robson and Walter F Cannon, 'William Whewell, FRS (1794-1866)' in NR 1964 vol 19 pp 168-191, plate
W H Brock, 'The Selection of the Authors of the Bridgewater Treatises' in NR 1966 vol 21 pp 162-179
P M Harman, 'Newton to Maxwell: the Principia and British Physics' in NR 1988 vol 42 pp 75-96
John Hedley Brooke, review of Colin A Russell, Lancastrian Chemist: the Early Years of Sir Edward Frankland in NR 1990 vol 44 pp 135-136
M V Wilkes, 'Herschel, Peacock, Babbage and the Development of the Cambridge Curriculum' in NR 1990 vol 44 pp 205-219
William T Ashworth, 'Defining Whewell', review of Richard Yeo, Defining Science: William Whewell, Natural Knowledge, and Public Debate in Early Victorian Britain in NR 1996 vol 50 pp 260-262, plate
Virtual International Authority Filehttp://viaf.org/viaf/29606152
CodeNA6578
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
DM/1/9Letter from William Whewell, Trinity College, Cambridge, to James Hudson, Assistant Secretary, Royal Society6 March 1831
IM/004859Whewell, Williamnd
DM/1/30Letter from William Whewell, Trinity College, Cambridge, to P M Roget21 March 1831
DM/1/26Draft of a letter from P M Roget18 March 1831
IM/Maull/004857Whewell, Williamnd
MS/257/5/101Letter from William Whewell, Trinity College, Lowestoft to James Clark Ross1 August 1847
MS/257/5/102Letter from William Whewell, Trinity College, Cambridge to Edward Sabine8 April 1857
MM/19/122Letter from William Whewell to Rev J S Howson20 March 1862
RR/2/261Referee's report by Sir John William Lubbock, 3rd Baronet, on a paper 'Researches on the tides.—fourteenth series. on the results of continued tide observations at several places on the british coasts' by William Whewell13 February 1850
RR/1/107Referee's report by William Whewell, on a paper 'On the state of the interior of the earth' by William Hopkins16 February 1839
RR/2/65Referee's report by William Whewell, on a paper 'On the lunar atmospheric tide at Singapore' by Charles Morgan Elliot25 March 1852
NLB/62/462Copy letter from Francis Alexander Towle, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to the Assistant Secretary of the British Association17 February 1922
RR/1/259Referee's report by William Whewell and James Cumming on an unnamed paper by Charles Wheatstone[c.1830]
MC/4/190Letter from Reverend William Whewell, Trinity Lodge, Cambridge, to the Secretary of the Royal Society9 November 1847
IM/004858Whewell, William1835
CMB/42/2/4Minutes, meeting of the Royal Medal Committee in Astronomy13 April 1833
CMB/42/2/2Minutes, meeting of the Royal Medal Committee in Astronomy3 April 1833
RR/5/107Referee's report by William Whewell, on a paper 'On the tides of the arctic seas. Part I. On the diurnal tides of Port Leopold, North Somerset' by Samuel Haughton1 November 1862
MC/2/148Letter from William Whewell, Trinity College Cambridge, to Dr. [Peter Mark] Roget, Secretary of the Royal Society26 November 1834
EC/1819/37Whewell, William: certificate of election to the Royal Society
RR/1/36Referee's report by William Whewell, on a paper 'Discussion of tide observations at Bristol' by T G Bunt4 April 1838
RR/2/164Referee's report by William Whewell, on a paper 'On the tides, bed and coasts of the North Sea or German Ocean' by John Murray29 March 1852
RR/1/153Referee's report by William Whewell, George Peacock and Henry Coddington, on a paper 'Researches in physical astronomy' by John William Lubbock3 May 1832
PT/34/1/1Manuscript, 'Researches on the tides - thirteenth series. On the tides of the Pacific, and on the diurnal inequality' by Rev W [William] Whewell8 November 1847
PT/34/1/7Plate, figure 6 showing effect of compound waves on tide by William Whewell8 November 1847
PT/34/1/6Plate, figure 5 showing rotation of tide-wave by William Whewell8 November 1847
PT/34/1/2Plate, figures 1-2 showing line of no tide in ocean and cotidal lines by William Whewell8 November 1847
PT/34/1/3Plate, figure 3 showing cotidal lines in relation to coast by William Whewell8 November 1847
PT/34/1/4Plate, figure 4 showing cotidal rings surrounding an island by William Whewell8 November 1847
PT/34/1/8Plate, early drafts of figure 6 showing effect of compound waves on tide by William Whewell8 November 1847
MC/2Volume 2 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society1832-1838
PT/37/10/2Plate, diagram representing change of tides over twelve-hour cycle by William Whewell[1849]
RR/2/262Referee's report by George Biddell Airy, on a paper 'Researches on the tides.—fourteenth series. on the results of continued tide observations at several places on the british coasts' by William Whewell11 February 1850
MC/2/147Letter from George Peacock, Trinity College Cambridge, to Dr. [Peter Mark] Roget, Secretary of the Royal Society26 November 1834
RR/3/133Referee's report by William Whewell, on a paper 'On the physical structure of the old red sandstone of the country of Waterford, considered with relation to cleavage, joint surfaces, and faults' by Reverend Samuel Haughton20 April 1858
MC/2/196Letter from Dr. Peter Mark Roget, [Secretary of the Royal Society], to Francis Baily, [Treasurer of the Royal Society]3 March 1836
MC/2/206Copy letter from [William] Whewell, Trinity College Cambridge, to Dr. Augustus Bozzi Granville17 May 1836
MC/2/207Letter from Dr. Augustus Bozzi Granville, 16 Grafton Street, Berkeley Square, to [William Whewell], the Chairman of the Council of the Royal Society18 May 1836
MC/2/205Letter from [William] Whewell to John George Children, Secretary of the Royal Society17 May 1836
MC/3Volume 3 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society1839-1843
RR/5/108Referee's report by William Whewell, on a paper 'On the Tides of the Arctic Seas.— Part II. The semidiurnal Tides of port leopold, North Somerset' by Samuel Haughton4 December 1862
MC/3/22Letter from William Whewell, Trinity College Cambridge, to the Chairman of the Council of the Royal Society7 May 1839
PT/34/1/5Plate, figures 1-6 showing cotidal lines and rings, tidal rotation, and compound waves by William Whewell8 November 1847
PT/73/11/7Diagrams, rhomboid divided into small rhomboids by [William Whewell?][1824]
PT/37/10/3Plate, 'Modification which the semimensual inequality of heights undergoes in ascending the Bristol Channel from Pembroke to Bristol' by D Ross[1849]
PT/73/11/8Diagrams, angles of prisms by [William Whewell?][1824]
MC/4Volume 4 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society1844-1850
PT/37/10/1Manuscript, 'Tide researches. Fourteenth series. On the results of continued tide observations at several places on the British coasts' by W [William] Whewell[1849]
PT/34/1Paper, 'Researches on the tides - thirteenth series. On the tides of the Pacific, and on the diurnal inequality' by Rev W [William] Whewell8 November 1847
MS/257/5/149Suggestions for an expedition to be made with a view of completing our knowledge of the tides by [William Whewell]19th century
MS/257/5/100Letter from William Whewell, Trinity College, Cambridge to James Clark Ross30 May 1847
RR/1/24Referee's report by William Whewell, on a paper 'Planet Esaid’un nouveau catalogue sidéral, avec une réprésentation graphique, et une loi de simple et régulière distribution des étoiles autour du Pole, qui pourra fournir plusieurs avantages à I’ Astronomie pratique' by Joseph Bianchi5 November 1836
RR/1/2Referee's report by William Whewell and John William Lubbock, on a paper 'On an inequality of long period in the motions of the Earth and Venus' by George Biddell Airy12 January 1832
PT/37/10Paper, 'Tide researches. Fourteenth series. On the results of continued tide observations at several places on the British coasts' by W [William] Whewell[1849]
RR/1/40Referee's report by William Whewell, on a paper 'Experimental of laws of magneto-electric induction in different masses of the same metal, and of Intensity in different metals' by Samuel Hunter Christie[1833]
RR/4/214Referee's report by William Whewell, on a paper 'On the thermo-dynamic theory of steam-engines with dry saturated steam, and its application to practice' by William John Macquorn Rankine3 March 1859
PT/74/3/14Chart, 'Solar correction of heights. Periodic parts. Liverpool' by [William Whewell][1836]
PT/73/11/9Diagrams, tetrahedron, rhombic octahedron, triangular prism, and rhombic dodecahedron by [William Whewell?][1824]
HSF/1/1/3Letter from [William Whewell], Trinity Lodge, Cambridge, to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel16 December 1861
HSF/1/1/7Letter from W [William] Whewell, Trin[ity] Lodge, [Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel8 April 1862
HSF/1/1/6Letter from W [William] Whewell, Trinity Lodge, [Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel28 January 1862
HSF/1/1/12Letter from W [William] Whewell, Trin[ity] Lodge, [Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William Herschel]3 February 1864
HSF/1/1/8Letter from W [William] Whewell, Trin[ity] Lodge, [Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel14 April 1862
HSF/1/1/19Letter from W [William] Whewell, to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschelno date [November 1864]
HSF/1/1/9Letter from W [William] Whewell, Trin[ity] Lodge, [Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel19 April 1862
HSF/1/1/10Letter from W [William] Whewell, Trin[ity] Lodge, [Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel9 May 1862
HSF/1/1/11Part letter from W W [William Whewell], to [Sir John Frederick William Herschel]26 December 1862
HSF/1/1/14Letter from W [William] Whewell, Trin[ity] Lodge, [Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel9 April 1864
HSF/1/1/13Letter from W [William] Whewell, T L [Trinity Lodge, Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel17 March 1864
HSF/1/1/16Letter from W [William] Whewell, Trin[ity] Lodge, [Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel14 April 1864
HSF/1/1/17Letter from W [William] Whewell, T L [Trinity Lodge, Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel27 May 1864
HSF/1/1/20Letter from W [William] Whewell, T L [Trinity Lodge, Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel19 November 1864
HSF/1/1/23Notes [by William Whewell], on 'The Iliad', [translated by Sir John Frederick William Herschel]no date [December 1861-January 1862]
HSF/1/1/24Notes [by William Whewell], on 'The Iliad', [translated by Sir John Frederick William Herschel]no date [1864]
HSF/1/1/25Notes [by William Whewell], on 'The Iliad', [translated by Sir John Frederick William Herschel]no date [1865]
HSF/1/1/22Letter from W [William] Whewell, Trin[ity] Lodge [Cambridge] to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel17 January 1866
MC/17Volume 17 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society1897-1899
HSF/1/1/1Letter from W [William] Whewell, Trinity Lodge, Cambridge, to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel7 December 1861
HSF/1/1/5Letter from W [William] Whewell, C C [Cliff Cottage, Lowestoft], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel15 January 1862
HSF/1/1/18Letter from W [William] Whewell, T L [Trinity Lodge, Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel25 October 1864
HSF/1/1/21Letter from W [William] Whewell, to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschelno date [1865?]
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