William Thomson

Lord Kelvin

1824-1907

William Thomson, Baron Kelvin of Largs, was born in Belfast, Ireland on June 24, 1824. His father was a professor of mathematics at Glasgow University.  At age 11 William entered Glasgow as a student. In 1845 he graduated from Cambridge.  He then moved to Paris to study before returning to Scotland were he took the job he would hold for over 50 years; professor of natural philosophy at Glasgow.  The story of his life from this time on is one of brilliant and fruitful scientific work, awarding of almost all academic honors from learned societies, universities, and governments at home and abroad. He was knighted and then raised to raised to the peerage in 1892.  He died on December 17, 1907, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Kelvins' Harmonic Analyzer	Kelvin's Tide Predictor
A Drawing of the Analyzer

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