William Mitchinson Hicks
Encyclopedia
William Mitchinson Hicks, FRS (23 September 1850, Launceston, Cornwall
– 17 August 1934, Crowhurst
, Sussex
) was a British mathematician
and physicist
. He studied at St John's College
, Cambridge
, graduating in 1873, and became a Fellow at the College.
Hicks spent most of his career at Sheffield
, contributing to the development of the university there. He was Principal of Firth College from 1892 to 1897. In 1897, Firth College merged with two other colleges to form the University College of Sheffield, and Hicks was its first Principal until 1905, when the College received its own Royal Charter
and became the University of Sheffield
. Hicks was the first Vice Chancellor of the University, serving from 1905.
From 1883 to 1892, he was Professor of Physics and Mathematics at Sheffield, and was Professor of Physics there from 1892 to 1917. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1885. He was awarded the Royal Society's Royal Medal
in 1912: "On the ground of his researches in mathematical physics."
The Hicks Building
at the University of Sheffield, which houses the departments of Physics
and Astronomy
, the Chemistry
and Physics
Workshop (formally known as the Central Mechanical Workshops) and the School of Mathematics
and Statistics
, is named in his honour.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
– 17 August 1934, Crowhurst
Crowhurst
Crowhurst could be*Crowhurst, Donald , English businessman and amateur sailor.*Crowhurst, Norman H. , audio engineer and author*Crowhurst, East Sussex, village near Battle*Crowhurst, Surrey, village...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
) was a British mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
. He studied at St John's College
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, graduating in 1873, and became a Fellow at the College.
Hicks spent most of his career at Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, contributing to the development of the university there. He was Principal of Firth College from 1892 to 1897. In 1897, Firth College merged with two other colleges to form the University College of Sheffield, and Hicks was its first Principal until 1905, when the College received its own Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
and became the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
. Hicks was the first Vice Chancellor of the University, serving from 1905.
From 1883 to 1892, he was Professor of Physics and Mathematics at Sheffield, and was Professor of Physics there from 1892 to 1917. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1885. He was awarded the Royal Society's Royal Medal
Royal Medal
The Royal Medal, also known as The Queen's Medal, is a silver-gilt medal awarded each year by the Royal Society, two for "the most important contributions to the advancement of natural knowledge" and one for "distinguished contributions in the applied sciences" made within the Commonwealth of...
in 1912: "On the ground of his researches in mathematical physics."
The Hicks Building
Hicks Building
The Hicks Building is a building in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, part of the University of Sheffield. It is named in honour after William Mitchinson Hicks....
at the University of Sheffield, which houses the departments of Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, the Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
Workshop (formally known as the Central Mechanical Workshops) and the School of Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and Statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
, is named in his honour.
Further reading
- Entry for Hicks in the Royal Society's Library and Archive catalogue's details of Fellows (accessed 27 April 2008)