George Barker Jeffery facts for kids

George Barker Jeffery (born May 9, 1891 – died April 27, 1957) was an important mathematical physicist. He lived in the early 1900s. Many people know him because he translated important papers. These papers were written by famous scientists like Albert Einstein and Hendrik Lorentz. Their work helped create the relativity theory.

Jeffery's Life and Work

George Barker Jeffery was born in 1891. He went to Strand School and Wilson's School. Later, he studied at King's College London and University College London. In 1909, he became a qualified teacher. He graduated from University College London in 1911.

His Teaching Career

From 1912 to 1921, Jeffery worked at University College London. He was an Assistant Lecturer in Applied Mathematics. In 1921, he became a University Reader in Mathematics there. The next year, in 1922, he became a Professor of Mathematics at King's College London. He returned to University College in 1924 as a Professor of Pure Mathematics.

Working in Education

In 1945, Jeffery became the Director of a new school. It was the University of London Institute of Education. Here, he became very interested in improving education in West Africa. He also worked with many groups that focused on school exams and teacher training. He retired from the Institute in 1957 and passed away that same year.

Key Discoveries and Contributions

George Barker Jeffery made several important contributions to science. He helped us understand how things move and how gravity works.

Understanding Fluid Motion

In 1922, Jeffery published a paper about how tiny particles move in a thick liquid. This work led to what we now call "Jeffery's equations." These equations help scientists understand how fluids behave.

Translating Important Science

In 1923, Jeffery worked with W. Perrett. They published a very important English translation. It was a collection of key papers on relativity theory. These papers were written by famous scientists like Albert Einstein and Hendrik Lorentz. Jeffery even wrote letters to Einstein about this work.

Exploring Gravity

In 1926, Jeffery and O. Baldwin published another important paper. They described what are called "gravitational plane waves." These are considered very important solutions to Einstein's field equations. These equations help us understand general relativity and how gravity works in the universe.

Recognized for His Work

Jeffery was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1926. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. He also served as Vice-President of the Royal Society from 1938 to 1940.

Helping West African Education

In 1949, the British government asked Jeffery for help. They wanted him to study education in West Africa. He visited countries like the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria. His report, known as the "Jeffery Report," strongly supported creating a West African Examinations Council. This council would help manage school exams. His ideas were fully adopted and helped shape education there.

Personal Life

George Barker Jeffery was born on May 9, 1891. In 1916, he married Elizabeth Schofield.

Jeffery was a Quaker. Quakers are a religious group known for their peaceful beliefs. During the First World War, he refused to fight. He was a conscientious objector, meaning he would not join the military because of his beliefs. He spent some time in prison and at a work center because of this. He passed away on April 27, 1957.

See also

• Reissner–Nordström metric