Harold A. Wilson (physicist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harold Wilson
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Wilson in 1939
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| Born |
Harold Albert Wilson
1 December 1874 |
| Died | 13 October 1964 (aged 89) |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Cambridge University of Leeds King's College London Rice University Cavendish Laboratory University of Glasgow McGill University |
Harold Albert Wilson (born December 1, 1874 – died 1964) was an important English physicist. He was known for his work with tiny particles like electrons.
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Harold Wilson's Early Life
Harold Albert Wilson was born in York, England, on December 1, 1874. His father, Albert William Wilson, worked as a manager for a railway company. His mother, Anne Gill, came from a family of farmers.
Harold went to St Olave's Grammar School for his early education. He then studied science at Victoria University College in Leeds. Later, he studied at University College, London, where he earned his first science degree in 1896. After that, he went to Cambridge University to continue his studies and earn more degrees.
A Career in Physics
In 1896, Harold Wilson started working with a famous English physicist named J. J. Thomson at Cambridge University. This was a very exciting time in science! Together, they worked on measuring the charge of an electron. An electron is a tiny particle that is part of every atom. Measuring its charge was a big step in understanding how atoms work.
In 1900, Harold earned his Doctor of Science degree from London. The next year, in 1901, he became a Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge. From 1901 to 1904, he worked at the Cavendish Laboratory, which is a famous physics lab.
After that, he became a physics lecturer at King's College London. By 1905, he was promoted to a professor there. In 1906, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This is a very special honor for scientists in the United Kingdom.
Working in Canada and the USA
In 1909, Harold Wilson moved to Montreal, Canada. He became a professor of Physics at McGill University. He stayed there for three years, teaching and doing research.
In 1912, he moved again, this time to Houston, Texas, in the United States. He joined the Rice Institute, which is now called Rice University. He became the very first head of the physics department there. He was one of the first 12 professors who helped start the university.
Returning to Britain and Back to Rice
In 1924, Harold Wilson returned to Britain. He spent a year working at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. In 1925, he received another honor: he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Later in 1925, he went back to Rice University in Houston. He also worked as a helper for an oil company, using his physics knowledge. He continued to work at Rice until he retired in 1947.
Harold Wilson passed away in a hospital in Houston on October 13, 1964.
Family Life
In 1912, Harold Wilson married Marjorie Patterson Smyth.
He had one sister named Lilian. She later married another famous scientist, Sir Owen Willans Richardson.
Recognition
The Wilson Award at Rice University is named after Harold Wilson. This award honors his important contributions to the university and to physics.
