Horace Lamb

RAS obituary


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Sir Horace Lamb was born on November 27, 1849, at Stockport and was educated at Stockport Grammar School, Owens College, Manchester (now the University), and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he won the Smith's Prize and was elected Fellow. After a short period of teaching at Cambridge, at the age of 31, he went to Adelaide as Professor of Mathematics. While there, he published his first book, On the Motion of Fluids, which later editions became his treatise of world-wide fame, On Hydrodynamics. Like his later books on calculus and various branches of applied mathematics, his lectures are characterized by their lucidity, easy style, and wise selection of material.

In 1884 he was elected F.R.S., and in 1885 he returned to Manchester to succeed his old teacher, Barker, as Professor of Mathematics. His main life's work was in developing an important school of mathematical studies, in teaching mathematics with great success also to students of engineering, physics, and chemistry, in helping to build up a great university from small beginnings, and in his own important research. These lay mainly in the fields of hydrodynamics, electromagnetism, tidal theory, and seismology; many of his papers had an important bearing on geophysics, and some, though to a lesser extent, on astronomy. The distinction of his work was recognized by many universities and scientific societies in Britain and abroad through the conferment of honorary degrees or other tokens of esteem. The Royal Society awarded him a Royal Medal in 1902 and its highest honour, the Copley Medal, in 1923

He retired from his chair at Manchester in 1920 and returned to live at Cambridge. There, his old college elected him an Honorary Fellow, and for a time, he gave occasional courses of lectures at the University of Cambridge. During and after the War, he took an important and highly valued part in the guidance of aeronautical research. In 1925, he was President of the British Association at its Southampton meeting. He was knighted in 1931.

He married in 1875, at the age of 26. His home life was happy and hospitable, and he and his wife had the satisfaction of seeing several of their seven children achieve distinction in various ways.

As seen by his students, he presented a short, sturdy figure of much dignity, in manner somewhat aloof and, at times, severe, but friendly to those who came into personal association with him. That he remained very human was evident to all on those many occasions in his lectures when, with a merry twinkle in his eye, he gave play to his keen sense of humour. The regard and affection of his students was manifested by a presentation made to him on his eightieth birthday by a wide circle of his past pupils.

In committee or in debate he spoke seldom, but always with influence and weight. In matters of policy he was conservative. He was reserved, dignified, and modest, a man of broad culture, well-traveled, and well-read. His old age was ideal in that he preserved his powers of mind and enjoyment, his broad interests, his humour and enjoyment of humour, to the end. His last mathematical paper, published only a few weeks before his death, shows the analytical power and lucidity which characterized all his work. He died without serious pain or illness, full of years and honour.

S. C

Horace Lamb's obituary appeared in Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society 95:4 (1935), 324-5.