Person King-Hele; Desmond George (1927 - 2019); physicist, poet and author Hele Desmond George King- physicist, poet and author Desmond George King-Hele 1927 - 2019 British Male Seaford, Sussex, England, United Kingdom 03/11/1927 19271103 25/12/2019 20191225

After graduating in mathematics from the University of Cambridge, Desmond King-Hele began 40 years working at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough. There, he developed the mathematical theory of Earth satellite orbits. By analysing actual satellite orbits, he led the world in determining more accurately the shape of the Earth and the properties of its upper atmosphere. This pioneering work earned him numerous awards, including the Royal Society Bakerian Lecture. Desmond worked mainly on literary and historical subjects. Since his 1960 study of the poet Shelley, he focused on the life and work of Erasmus Darwin, and his many mechanical inventions. Desmond wrote the standard biography of Darwin, edited a 685-page collection of his letters and, 2014, published a book covering his role in biological evolution. At the Society, Desmond was active as the chairman of many committees; for ten years he was Chairman of the British National Committee for the History of Science, and for seven years he was Editor of the Royal Society journal, Notes and Records. Dr Desmond King-Hele FRS died on 25 December 2019. Lectures: Bakerian 1974; Wilkins 1997 Fellow 17/03/1966 38 References: J Browne, 'Darwin on Darwin. Charles Darwin's The Life of Erasmus Darwin, ed D King-Hele' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 346 - 348 D King-Hele, 'Makers of the future. The Lunar Men: the friends who made the future, by J Uglow' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 348 - 350 D King-Hele, 'The many images of Isaac Newton. 'The iconography of Sir Isaac Newton, to 1800' by M Keynes' in NR 2006 vol 60 pp 215 - 216 International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 Anglo American Cataloguing Rules (second edition) rules for double barrelled and compound surnames 3 Nov 1927 - 25 Dec 2019 NA6215 21/11/2001 Andyg Pmab 27/08/2025 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes 7192d69a-abec-4995-afb0-ede700ce3da2