William Cecil Dampier facts for kids

Sir William Cecil Dampier (born William Cecil Dampier Whetham) was a British scientist, farmer, and historian of science. He lived from 1867 to 1952. He is known for finding a way to get lactose (which is milk sugar) out of whey (the watery part of milk).

William Dampier was born in London. His grandfather, Sir Charles Whetham, was once the Lord Mayor of London. In 1886, William started studying at Trinity College, Cambridge. He began his research at the Cavendish Laboratory in 1889. This lab is famous for physics research. In 1891, he became a Fellow of Trinity College.

A Scientist and His Work

In June 1901, William Dampier was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very important group for scientists in the UK. It means he was recognized for his great work in science.

Dampier was a physics lecturer. He wrote many scientific papers. These papers were about how liquids move and how electricity travels through liquids. He also wrote about how different liquids can make other substances break down into smaller parts.

Books on Science History

In 1904, Dampier wrote his first book about science. It was called The Recent Development of Physical Science. This book looked at how physics had grown recently.

Later, in 1929, he wrote a very famous book. It was called A History of Science, and its Relations with Philosophy and Religion. This book was printed many times and translated into different languages. It helped people understand how science, ideas, and beliefs are connected. He also wrote A Shorter History of Science in 1944 and 1945.

Helping Farmers

From 1931 to 1935, William Dampier worked as the first secretary of the Agricultural Research Council. This group helps improve farming methods. He was given the title of Sir in 1931. This was because of his important work helping farming in the country.

His Family Life

On December 10, 1897, William Dampier married Catherine Durning Holt. Her family was known for owning ships in Liverpool. They had one son and four daughters. One of their daughters, Edith Holt Whetham, became a well-known economist.