J M Whittaker Appointed to Liverpool Chair


On Tuseday 11 July 1933, the University of Liverpool announced the appointment of J M Whittaker to the Chair of Mathematics. The following Press release was published:
LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY.
Dr J M Whittaker Appointed to Chair of Mathematics.

The Council of the University of Liverpool yesterday appointed to the Chair of Pure mathematics Mr J M Whittaker, M.A., D.Sc. Dr Whittaker, who graduated at the Edinburgh University with first class honours in mathematics and natural philosophy, was a lecturer at that University from 1927 to 1929, and later was awarded a Fellowship and appointed to a lectureship in Pembroke College, Cambridge. The Chair of Pure Mathematics, to which Dr Whittaker has how succeeded, was vacated by the translation of Professor E C Titchmarsh, F.R.S., to the Savilian Chair at Oxford.

Dr Whittaker, who was born in 1905, and is a son of Professor E T Whittaker, F.R.S., of the Chair of Mathematics in Edinburgh University, was educated at Fettes College, Edinburgh University, and Cambridge. At Edinburgh in the years 1920-24 he was one of a group of students who have already made their mark in the academic world, such as J Williamson, now Professor of Mathematics in Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; J Wishart, now Reader in Statistics in Cambridge University; and W V D Hodge, now Fellow of St John's College and University lecturer in mathematics at Cambridge. In 1925 Mr Whittaker was elected to a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge, becoming later a Wrangler, Smith's Prizeman, Fellow of Pembroke, and University lecturer. He has published a number of original papers in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the London Mathematical Society, and the Edinburgh Mathematical Society.

The Council yesterday also appointed Mr L Rosenhead, Ph.D., to the Chair of Applied Mathematics. Dr Rosenhead graduated B.Sc. in the University of Leeds and was awarded the degree of Ph.D. by that University in 1928. Following a period of research at the University of Göttingen, Dr Rosenhead went to the University College at Swansea in 1931, where he was appointed assistant lecturer in applied mathematics. Last year Dr Rosenhead was promoted to the permanent staff at the University College, Swansea.

Last Updated November 2007