The Many-Sidedness of George Minchin Minchin: Educator, Satirist, and Early Pioneer of Television (International Archives of the History of Ideas Archives internationales d'histoire des idées, 248)

This book is the first complete biography of George Minchin Minchin (1845–1914), professor of applied mathematics at the Royal Indian Engineering College. Minchin’s extraordinary range of accomplishments offers a unique inside view of the major technological and educational developments of late nineteenth century Britain. The scientific community’s excitement during the early days of electromagnetic theory, wireless telegraphy, and x-rays are revealed by Minchin’s letters to eminent friends (notably the Maxwellians, Oliver Lodge and George Francis Fitzgerald). This book also traces Minchin’s little-known pioneering work on photoelectricity, which led to the first electrical measurements of starlight and laid the foundations for solar cells and television. Minchin’s mathematical textbooks were praised for their lucidity, and his advanced pedagogical thinking underpinned his lifelong work on reforming science education. He explained scientific concepts for a general audience using science fiction poetry and critiqued contemporary society in sharp and humorous satires. These works provide fresh perspectives on the place of science in Victorian society. This book is for anyone fascinated by the late nineteenth century revolution in electrical technologies.This is also a valuable read for historians of science, and for those interested in technical education, and science and society in Victorian Britain. Acknowledgements Contents Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables Chapter 1: Eminent in the World: Introduction and Motivation 1.1 Who Was George Minchin? 1.2 Scientific Context of Minchin’s Career 1.3 Why Is Minchin’s Life Interesting? 1.3.1 Objective One 1.3.2 Objective Two 1.3.3 Objective Three 1.3.4 Objective Four 1.3.5 Objective Five 1.4 Chapters of Minchin’s Life and Career Chapter 2: Minchin Minchin: Early Years and University in Ireland 2.1 Controversy 2.2 What’s in a Name? 2.3 Education References Chapter 3: Is the Monkey Smooth? A Career at Coopers Hill 3.1 Professor at Last 3.2 The Royal Indian Engineering College 3.3 Experimental Work 3.4 Birds 3.5 Teaching 3.6 Dead Rats 3.7 Marriage 3.8 Family 3.8.1 Una Eleanor 3.8.2 Neville 3.9 Sports and Daily Life References Chapter 4: An Honorary Maxwellian: Colleagues and Electromagnetic Theory 4.1 Publications 4.2 Correspondence 4.3 Fitzgerald and Lodge 4.3.1 George Francis Fitzgerald 4.3.2 Oliver Lodge 4.4 The Maxwellians 4.4.1 More Maxwellian than Maxwell 4.4.2 Oliver Heaviside and the Archbishop 4.4.3 Electromagnetic Theory 4.4.4 The Review 4.4.5 Quaternions 4.5 Was Minchin a Maxwellian? 4.6 Royal Society References Chapter 5: Ne Plus Ultra: Textbooks and Writing 5.1 Textbooks 5.2 A Treatise on Statics 5.3 John Jellett 5.4 Uniplanar Kinematics 5.5 The Third Edition 5.6 Minchin’s Acknowledgements 5.7 Language and Writing 5.8 Other Books References Chapter 6: Geometry Versus Euclid: Reforming the Teaching of Mathematics 6.1 The Association for the Improvement of Geometrical Teaching 6.2 Slow Progress 6.3 The Vices of our Scientific Education 6.4 Geometry for Beginners 6.5 Boys and Girls 6.6 End of Euclid 6.6.1 Geometry Versus Euclid 6.6.2 BAAS 6.6.3 Mathematical Association References Chapter 7: Journeys to Al Fard and Other Exotic Destinations: Satires and Poems 7.1 Naturæ Veritas 7.1.1 Context 7.1.2 Stellar Visits 7.1.3 The Revelation from Aldebaran 7.2 The Hupmanoor Satires 7.2.1 Another Voyage to Laputa and Balnibarbi 7.2.2 How I Wrote My Reminiscences 7.2.3 The Ruins of Bolbadlyon 7.2.4 The Last Days of Balnibarbi 7.3 Influences 7.3.1 The Spirit of Swift 7.3.2 Science Fiction References Chapter 8: Telephotographs: Photocells and Photo-Batteries, 1880–1891 8.1 Context 8.2 Telephotographs 8.3 Image Mosaic 8.4 Photoelectric Work 1880–1890 8.5 Experiments in Photoelectricity, 1891 8.5.1 Tin Foil Photocells 8.5.2 Selenium-Aluminium Cells 8.5.3 Cameras and Solar Cells 8.5.4 Context and Impact of Minchin’s 1891 Paper References Chapter 9: Distant Scintillating Star: Starlight, X-rays, and Television, 1891–1908 9.1 First Electrical Measurements of Starlight 9.1.1 First Trials 9.1.2 Unequivocal Results at Daramona 9.1.3 Press Reaction 9.1.4 Pioneer Achievement 9.2 Digression: Röntgen Rays 9.3 Final Phase: After 1900 9.4 Television 9.4.1 Mechanically Scanned Transmitters 9.4.2 Retina or Mosaic Transmitters 9.4.3 “Photon Flux Integrating Mode” References Chapter 10: Balak, the Son of Zippor: Impulsion Cells and Wireless Telegraphy 10.1 Heinrich Hertz 10.2 Minchin’s Impulsion Cells 10.3 Lodge and Marconi 10.4 Minchin and Wireless Telegraphy 10.4.1 Claiming Precedence 10.4.2 Minchin’s New Receiver 10.4.3 Impulsion Cells Revisited 10.4.4 Continued Work 10.5 Afterword References Chapter 11: Through Nature to Eternity: Final Years and Reflections 11.1 After Coopers Hill 11.1.1 1906–1914 11.1.2 Emma Minchin 11.1.3 Posthumous Tributes 11.2 Retrospective 11.3 Eminence and Prominence Revisited 11.4 Lodge and Legacy 11.5 Other Scientific Generalists 11.5.1 Silvanus Phillips Thompson 11.5.2 Herbert McLeod 11.6 Many-Sidedness References Appendices Appendix 1: Minchin General Timeline Appendix 2: George M. Minchin Works Abbreviations Bibliography Archival Sources British Library Coopers Hill Magazine Fitzgerald, George Francis Lodge, Oliver J. McLeod, Herbert Miscellaneous Offaly Archives Oxford University Press Archives Royal Society Archives Royaumont Newsletters Articles and Books Periodicals Index