Person Strutt; Robert John (1875 - 1947); 4th Baron Rayleigh; experimental physicist Strutt Robert John experimental physicist 1875 - 1947 British Male Terling Place, Witham, Essex, England 28 August 1875 18750828 Terling, Essex, England 13/12/1947 19471213

Experimental physicist Chemical physics Experimental Physics Physics Education: Eton College (1889-1894); Trinity College, Cambridge (1894-1898) Career: Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge (1900-1906); Professor of Physics, Imperial College, London (1908-1919); emeritus professor (1920); chairman of the governing body of the college (1936-1947); died of a heart attack. Memberships: Physical Society of London (President 1934–6) Royal Institution (President 1945) Parents: John William Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh (FRS 1873) and Evelyn Georgiana Mary, sister of Arthur James Balfour (FRS 1888) Uncle: Arthur James Balfour (FRS 1888); Francis Maitland Balfour (FRS 1878); succeeded as 4th Baron (1919). Spouse: 1) (05 July 1905) Lady Mary Hilda Clements, daughter of Robert Clements 4th Earl of Leitrim (she died 1919); 2) (1920) Kathleen Alice Cuthbert, daughter of John Coppin-Straker of Northumberland. Children: Two daughters and three sons from his first marriage, and one son from his second marriage. Discovered active nitrogen. The first to distinguish the glow of the night sky. Known for Rayleigh scattering. Investigated the age of minerals and rocks by measuring their radioactivity and helium content. Investigated electrical discharges in vacuo; the Becquerel rays; optical contact; the glow of phosphorus; iridescent colours in nature; the bending of marble and glass; the formation of pebbles, pallasites, and red sandstones. Royal Society roles: For Sec 1929-1934; VP 1930-1934 Medals and prizes: Rumford Medal 1920 Lectures: Bakerian 1911 and 1919 Fellow 11/05/1905 30 William Fletcher Barrett Richard Threlfall Joseph John Thomson Hugh Frank Newall John Henry Poynting William Crookes William Thompson [Lord Kelvin] Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB Obituaries: Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society 1948-1949 vol 6 pp 503-538, plate, by A C Egerton References: Vanity Fair 21 December 1899 - "Argon" Strutt R J, GA Russell 16995.jpg ©Godfrey Argent Studio 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/doi/10.1098/rsbm.1949.0011 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Strutt%2C+Robert+John RCN R65422 RCN R80840 RCN 21840 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH8184 28 Aug 1875 - 13 Dec 1947 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 09/10/2024 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA7877 21/11/2001 Andyg Martind 08/09/2025 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/92285179 f3db7a84-38de-4b80-90e0-1e29b75e30db