Person Joule; James Prescott (1818 - 1889); physicist Joule James Prescott physicist 1818 - 1889 British Male New Bailey Street, Salford, Lancashire, England 24 December 1818 18181224 12 Wardle Road, Sale, Cheshire, England 11 October 1889 18891011 Burial: Brooklands cemetery, Sale, Cheshire, England (16 October 1889)

Manchester (1850) 12 Wardle Road, Sale, Cheshire

Physicist Electricity Thermodynamics Mathematics Physics Education: Private tuition; tutored by John Dalton FRS 1822; tutored by John Davis Career: Manager of his father’s brewery, combining the role with personal experiments (1837-1854); replaced the brewery’s steam engines with electric motors; discovered what became known as Joule's First Law (1841); published results of experiments that challenged the widely popular caloric theory (1843). Memberships: FCS; Academy of Sciences of Turin (Foreign Member) Awards/Medals: Albert Medal 1880 Parents: Benjamin Joule (1784–1858), a Salford brewer, and Alice (1788–1836), elder daughter of Thomas and Grace Prescott of Wigan. Spouse: Amelia Grimes (d. 1854), daughter of John Grimes, (18 August 1847). Children: Benjamin Arthur, Alice Amelia, and Henry. He formed the basis of the law of conservation of energy, the first law of thermodynamics. Known for the mechanical equivalent of heat; magnetostriction; Joule cycle; Joule effect; Joule expansion; Joule's first law; Joule's second law; Joule–Thomson effect. Disproved the caloric theory. Medals and prizes: Royal Medal 1852; Copley Medal 1870 Fellow 06/06/1850 32 Williamm Thos Brande; Jonn Pereira; Michael Faraday; William Scoresby; John Peter Gassiot; William Snow Harris; Richard Phillips; Lyon Playfair; Andrew Crombie Ramsay; Edward Forbes; Thomas Graham Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB References: J S Rowlinson, 'Energy in the 19th Century', review of Crosbie Smith, The Science of Energy. A Cultural History of Energy Physics in Victorian Britain in NR 1999 vol 53 pp 281-282 Colin A Russell, review of Donald S L Cardwell, James Joule: A Biography in NR 1990 vol 44 pp 311-313 J T Lloyd, 'Background to the Joule-Mayer Controversy' in NR 1970 vol 25 pp 211-225 B Marsden, 'From Watt to Cardwell. The development of science and technology in nineteenth century Britain: the importance of Manchester, by D Cardwell, ed R L Hills' in NR 2004 vol 58 pp 318-320 D Cahan 'The awarding of the Copley Medal and the discovery of the law of conservation of energy,; Joule, Mayer and Heimholtz revisted Joule P0077.jpg ©The Royal Society 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 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Joule%2C+James+Prescott RCN 14787 RCN R81859 RCN 46426 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH4676 24 Dec 1818 - 11 Oct 1889 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 24/07/2024 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA7041 21/11/2001 Andyg Pmab 24/07/2024 RS_NET\VidaM Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/27867468 ef3ecd96-b6a9-4155-8197-72ac843e4820