Person Ewing; Sir; James Alfred (1855 - 1935); engineer and cryptographer Ewing James Alfred Sir engineer and cryptographer 1855 - 1935 British Male 109 Nethergate, Dundee, Angus, Scotland 27 March 1855 18550327 5 Herschel Road, Cambridge, England 07/01/1935 19350107

3 Norwood Terrace, West Park Road, Dundee, Scotland (1886); 5 Herschel Road, Cambridge, England (1935)

engineer and cryptographer Engineering Physics Education: West End Academy; Dundee high; University of Edinburgh. BSc Career: Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tokyo, Japan (1878-1883); Professor of Engineering, University College, Dublin (1883-1890); Professor of Mechanism and Applied Mechanics, University of Cambridge (1890-1903); Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Edinburgh (1916); Appointed chairman of the Bridge Stress Committee by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (1923); retired to Cambridge (1929); supervised research at the National Physical Laboratory on refrigerants (1929); died of heart disease (1935). Honours: KCB 1911 Memberships: FRSE (President 1924-1929) Institution of Civil Engineers Institution of Electrical Engineers British Association (President 1932) Awards/Medals: Albert medal (1929) Parents: James Ewing (1810–1886), minister of St Andrew's Free Church, Dundee, and Marjory, eldest daughter of John Ferguson, a Glasgow solicitor. Spouse: 1) (1879) Anne daughter of Thomas Blackburn Washington of Claymount, West Virginia; 2) (9 March 1911) Ellen Lina, daughter of John Hopkinson (FRS 1878) and sister of Bertram Hopkinson (FRS 1910). Known for his work on magnetic properties of metals. Coined the term hysteresis. Remembered for his vital cryptographic work during the First World War. Royal Society roles: VP 1929-1931 Medals and prizes: Royal Medal 1895 Lectures: Bakerian (jointly) 1899 Fellow 09/06/1887 32 John McKendrick; Robert Grant; David Edward Hughes; Frederick Guthrie; William Thomson; James Thomson; George CareyFoster; William Grylls Adams; William Edward Ayrton; John Perry; William Henry Preece Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB Obituaries: Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society 1932-1935 vol l pp 475-492, plate, by R T Glazebrook References: R V Jones, 'Alfred Ewing and "Room 40"' in NR 1979-80 vol 34 pp 65-90, plate T M Charlton, 'Professor Bertram Hopkinson, CMG, MA, BSc, FRS (1874-1918)' in NR 1974-5 vol 29 pp 101-109 Notes: Date of death incorrect in ON. Ewing J A, IM Maull 001340.jpg 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.1935.0011 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Ewing%2C+James+Alfred RCN 38645 RCN 38646 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH2792 27 Mar 1855 - 7 Jan 1935 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 12/06/2024 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA8053 21/11/2001 Andyg Pmab 08/09/2025 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/37695587 c5a61539-e2a4-4d9b-ae13-1585f49321f0