The Life and Career of Lord Kelvin (William Thomson)

LORD KELVIN (1824 - 1907) William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) was born June 26, 1824 in Belfast, Ireland, and was part of a large family whose mother died when he was six. His father taught Kelvin and his brothers mathematics to a level beyond that of university courses of the time. Kelvin was somewhat of a genius, and had his first papers published in 1840. These papers contained an argument defending the work of Fourier (Fourier transforms), which at the …

…major essay called 'An Essay on the Figure of the Earth'. · At the age of 22 Thomson was elected to professor of physics at the University of Glasgow. · He was Knighted in 1866 by Queen Victoria for his work. · The transatlantic cable laying expeditions made Thomson an extremely wealthy man. · He published 661 papers in his career. · He patented 70 inventions in his lifetime. · In 1892 he was created Baron Kelvin of Largs. · In 1902 he received the Order of Merit.