Frank Edward Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Frank Edward Smith
GCB GBE FRS
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Sir Frank Edward Smith, 1920
© National Portrait Gallery, London |
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| Born | 14 October 1876 Aston Manor, Birmingham, England
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| Died | 1 July 1970 (aged 93) Minehead, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) | Nelly May King |
| Children | Betty May |
| Awards | See list |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | National Physical Laboratory Admiralty DSIR Anglo Iranian Oil BSA |
Sir Frank Edward Smith (14 October 1876 – 1 July 1970) was an important British physicist. He was known for his work on making electrical measurements super accurate. He also served as the Acting Director of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) for a short time.
Contents
Biography
Frank Edward Smith was born in Aston Manor, Birmingham, England. This happened on 14 October 1876. He was the fourth of seven children. His father, Joseph Smith, worked as an office clerk.
Frank went to school at Corbett Street Board School. Later, he attended Smethwick Central School from age 11. He was a very bright student. He then studied at the Birmingham Technical School. From there, he won a special scholarship. This allowed him to attend the Royal College of Science (RCS). He was the best in his physics class. In 1899, he earned a first-class degree in physics from the RCS.
Working at the National Physical Laboratory
After teaching for a year at the RCS, Smith joined the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). This was in 1900, the same year the NPL was founded. The NPL is a place where scientists work to make sure measurements are very precise.
In 1909, he became a principal assistant. By 1917, he was the superintendent of the electricity department. He was greatly inspired by the NPL's director, Sir Richard Glazebrook.
For ten years, Smith worked on creating very accurate ways to measure electricity. This included devices to precisely measure amperes, ohms, and volts. He also improved the Weston cell, which is used to measure voltage.
His work was so important that he suggested an international meeting. This meeting was about electrical units and standards. It took place in London in 1908. In 1910, he traveled to Washington. He helped the National Bureau of Standards use these new standards. They said his work was incredibly accurate. It marked a new beginning for measuring electricity.
War Work and the Admiralty
When World War I started in 1914, Smith helped with the NPL's war efforts. He invented the first magnetic mine. This was a special device used to protect against submarines. For this important invention, the Admiralty (the British Navy) gave him £2000.
In 1918, his scientific work was recognized. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists. In 1919, Smith joined the Admiralty. The next year, he became the director of their new scientific research department in Teddington.
Leading Scientific Research
In 1929, Smith became the secretary for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). He worked there until 1939. The DSIR was a government department that supported scientific research. People said he was very skilled at organizing and working with government officials and businesses.
During this time, he was also active in many other groups. He was secretary of the Royal Society's council from 1929 to 1938. He was president of the Physical Society from 1924 to 1926. He also helped start the Institute of Physics in 1920. Later, he became its president. He was also a governor of the Imperial Institute.
In 1938, Smith became a scientific adviser for Anglo Iranian Oil. This company later became British Petroleum. He also worked with the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA). At first, he was an unofficial adviser. But in 1944, he became the chairman of their research committee. In 1947, he became a director. He retired from BSA in 1957, on his eighty-first birthday.
Family Life and a Curious Detail
Frank Edward Smith married Nelly May King in 1902. They had one daughter, Betty May, who was born in 1909. Betty May married John H Fry in 1936. She passed away on 20 December 1990.
Lady Nelly May Smith died in Minehead Hospital in 1961. Sir Frank Edward Smith passed away on 1 July 1970. He died at a nursing home in Minehead.
There's an interesting story about his birth date. In the Who's Who book, his birthday was changed. It showed 14 October 1879 instead of 1876. However, his birth certificate and earlier records all show 14 October 1876. It might have been a printing mistake, like a '6' being turned into a '9'. Over time, he started using the changed date himself. Even more strangely, the birth dates for him, his wife, and his daughter were all listed incorrectly in a 1939 register. They were shown as three or four years later than their real dates.
Honours and Awards
Sir Frank Edward Smith received many awards and honors for his important work:
- 1899 ARCS, 1st class (a high academic honor)
- 1918 OBE (Order of the British Empire)
- 1918 FRS (Fellow of the Royal Society)
- 1922 CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire)
- 1925 Hughes Medal of the Royal Society
- 1926 CB (Companion of the Order of the Bath)
- 1926 Hon DSc University of Oxford (Honorary Doctor of Science)
- 1927 Duddell Medal of the Physical Society
- 1930 Hon LLD University of Birmingham (Honorary Doctor of Laws)
- 1931 Hon LLD University of Aberdeen (Honorary Doctor of Laws)
- 1931 KCB (Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath)
- 1934 Faraday Medal by the Institution of Electrical Engineers
- 1934 Gustav Canet Medal of the Junior Institution of Engineers
- 1936 Hon DSc University of Sheffield (Honorary Doctor of Science)
- 1936 Charles Parsons Memorial Medal of North East Coast Engineers and Shipbuilders
- 1937 Fellow, Imperial College London
- 1938 Honorary Fellow, Institution of Civil Engineers
- 1938 Honorary Fellow, Institute of Physics
- 1939 GBE (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire)
- 1942 GCB (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath)
- 1947 USA Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm
