Frank Horton (physicist) facts for kids

Frank Horton was a brilliant physicist. He was born on August 20, 1878, and passed away on October 31, 1957. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society, a very important science group.

He taught physics at Royal Holloway College in London from 1914 to 1946. He also served as the Vice-Chancellor of London University during World War II, from 1939 to 1945. This was a very important leadership role.

Early Life and Learning

Mason College, which is now the University of Birmingham.

Frank Horton was the oldest son of A. Horton. His family lived in Olton, Warwickshire, which is now part of the West Midlands. He went to King Edward's School, Birmingham for his early education.

After school, he attended Mason College. This college later became the University of Birmingham in 1900. He earned his first science degree (BSc) in 1899. Then, he got a master's degree (MSc) in physics. He continued his studies at St John's College, Cambridge and earned a Doctor of Science (ScD) degree in 1905.

Career in Physics and Leadership

Frank Horton became a lecturer at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge. He worked there from 1905 to 1914. In 1905, he also became a fellow at St John's College.

From 1914 to 1946, he was a professor and led the physics department at Royal Holloway College (RHC). During his early years at RHC, he studied how heat makes electrons move (thermionic emissions). He also researched how gases become charged (gaseous ions).

Over time, he became more involved in running the college. In 1926, he moved the physics department to a new building. This building was later named the Horton Laboratory. The first floor of this building was used for botany studies. Today, this building is used for Social Policy and Social Science. The physics department is now in other buildings.

Frank Horton was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of London from 1939 to 1945. This was during World War II. After he retired in 1946, Samuel Tolansky took over his physics role in 1947.

Besides being Vice-Chancellor, he held other important roles. He was the Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of London from 1930 to 1934. He also chaired the Academic Council of the university from 1935 to 1939.

Horton helped the college plan for the future after the war. He advised on changes to the college's rules. These changes helped Royal Holloway College become coeducational. This meant they started admitting male students. They admitted male postgraduate students in 1945 and male undergraduate students in 1965.

Family Life

Frank Horton married J. M. Vèra in 1911. She was the only daughter of J. E. Fulton, an engineer from Wellington, New Zealand. They had one daughter together.

Later, in 1939, he married Ann Catherine Davies. She was a fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge. Ann was the only daughter of Robert Davies from Cricklewood and Llangybi, Ceredigion, in mid-Wales.

See also

• List of Vice-Chancellors of the University of London