Archibald Smith facts for kids
Archibald Smith of Jordanhill (born August 10, 1813, in Greenhead, North Lanarkshire; died December 26, 1872, in London) was a Scottish lawyer and a very talented mathematician. He was known for his important work on how magnetism affects ships' compasses. He was also a member of the Royal Society (FRS) and the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE), which are groups for important scientists.
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Early Life and School
Archibald was the only son of James Smith, who was a rich businessman and a collector of old things. His family owned a large area called the Jordanhill estate in Glasgow. Archibald's mother was Mary Wilson. Her grandfather, Alexander Wilson, was a professor of astronomy at Glasgow University.
Archibald went to school at Redland School near Bristol from 1826 to 1828. After that, he studied law at Glasgow University starting in 1828. He then went to Trinity College, Cambridge. He was incredibly smart and became the "Senior Wrangler" in 1836. This means he was the top mathematics student in his year at Cambridge, and he was the first Scot to achieve this! He also won the first "Smith's Prize" for his math skills. He helped start the Cambridge Mathematical Journal, a magazine for math papers. He earned his first degree (BA) in 1836 and a master's degree (MA) in 1839.
Working as a Lawyer
After finishing his studies, Archibald became a lawyer. He joined Lincoln's Inn, a famous place for lawyers in London, and started working as a barrister in 1841. He focused on property law, which deals with buying and selling land and buildings.
Working as a Scientist
Archibald's most important scientific work was about magnetism and the Earth's magnetic field. He found ways to fix problems with ship compasses. When ships were made of iron, the iron would mess up the compass readings. Archibald created special formulas and tables that sailors could use to correct their compasses. This was very important for safe navigation at sea.
In 1859, he helped publish a book by William Scoresby about a trip to Australia to study magnetism. In this book, Archibald provided a very exact formula to explain how a ship's iron affects its compass. Then, in 1862, he worked with Sir Frederick John Owen Evans, who was in charge of compasses for the navy. Together, they wrote the Admiralty Manual for ascertaining and applying the Deviations of the Compass caused by the Iron in a Ship. This book became a key guide for navies around the world.
Because of his amazing work, Archibald was chosen to be a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1837. Later, in 1856, he became a member of the famous Royal Society. In 1865, he received the Royal Medal from the Royal Society. This award was given to him for his important papers on ship magnetism. In 1866, the Emperor Alexander II of Russia gave him a special gift: a gold compass decorated with diamonds!
Archibald Smith passed away in London on December 26, 1872.
Family Life
In 1853, Archibald married Susan Emma Parker. Her father was Sir James Parker, a judge. Archibald and Susan had eight children: six sons and two daughters.
- James Parker Smith (1854–1929) became a Member of Parliament.
- Walter Edward Smith (1855–1940) became a vicar (a type of priest).
- Charles Stewart Smith (1859–1934) was a Royal Navy officer and a British diplomat.
- Arthur Hamilton Smith (1860–1941) worked in museums and was an archaeologist.
- Sir Henry Babington Smith (1863–1923) was an important government official and banker.
- Mary Susan Smith (1865–1915)
- Margaret Smith (1867–1904)
- George Edward Smith (1868–1944) became a Brigadier General in the army.
Images for kids
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Archibald Smith of Jordanhill, upon graduation at Trinity College, Cambridge (Senior Wrangler)
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Carte de visite depicting Archibald Smith, 1860s.
