Reference code: GB 0100 KCLCA K/PP71 Maxwell
James Clerk Maxwell was born in Edinburgh in 1831 and was educated at the University of Edinburgh, 1847-1850, Peterhouse, Cambridge, during 1850, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, 1850-1854, before being elected a Fellow of Trinity in 1855. He held the chair of Natural Philosophy at Marischal College, later to form part of the new University of Aberdeen, 1856-1860, and was Professor of Natural Philosophy at King's College London from 1860 until his resignation in 1865. Maxwell entered into a period of private studies between 1865-1871, before being elected Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Cambridge in 1871, a position that he occupied at his death in 1879. He is best known for work on the kinetics of gases, but especially on the nature of electricity and magnetism that he initiated in earnest shortly before his arrival at King's College London, and that were developed further during his tenure at King's and subsequently at Cambridge.
The notebooks were presented to King's College London
by the executors of Sir George Greenhill in 1927.
The collection comprises three manuscript notebooks of theoretical problems relating to mechanics compiled by James Clerk Maxwell mainly during the course of his employment as Professor of Natural Philosophy at King's College London, but also subsequently during a period of private study and whilst Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Cambridge. It includes exam questions on aspects of mechanics and geometry set for students of King's College, 1860-1865, brief reflections on the works of leading authorities in the field of mathematics and physics including Arthur Cayley, Franz Neumann and Siméon Poisson, 1867-1873, a bibliography of textbooks on the subject of mechanics, [1860-1865], a list of scientific instrument suppliers, [1860-1865], and an outline of the contents of Maxwell's Treatise on electricity and magnetism (1873). The main body of the collection, however, consists of 174 theoretical problems presumably intended as an aid to teaching, and which cover subjects as diverse as the collision of elastic spheres and the dynamic relation between other solid bodies, the refraction of light, the relationship between heat and volume in materials, and attraction between particles, 1860-1873.
Notebooks arranged using a broadly chronolgical schema.
Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for
research use only. Requests to publish original material should be
submitted to the Director of Archive Services.
English.
King's College London Archive hold a variety of documents that reflect the life and career of James Clerk Maxwell including College Council Minutes (Ref: KA/C/M), in-correspondence (Ref: K/IC), photographs (Ref: K/PHOTO), the papers of the King's College Maxwell Society (Re: KSM), and papers relating to the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation (Ref: K/PP 45). Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives preserve general correspondence and other papers, 1847-1879 (Ref: Add 7655), and specifically correspondence with Peter Guthrie Tait and letters to Sir William Thomson, Baron Kelvin, 1854-1879. Peterhouse Library, University of Cambridge, preserve family correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1845-1879. The National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts division hold a paper presented to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1846, while Glasgow University Library, Special Collections Department, preserve letters to Lord Kelvin, 1857-1873. The London Metropolitan Archives hold correspondence with Cecil James Monro (Ref: Acc 1063/2078-2110), and St Andrews University Library correspondence with James David Forbes, 1855-1877.
King's College London Archives
and Corporate Records Services - catalogue
Papers of James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879)
Title: MAXWELL, James Clerk (1831-1879)
Dates of creation of material: 1860-1872
Level of description: collection level
Extent: 3 volumes
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Papers of James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879)
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