William Esson facts for kids

William Esson (born May 17, 1838 – died August 28, 1916) was an important British mathematician. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), which is a group of top scientists. Esson is mostly known for his work on the mathematics of how fast chemical reactions happen.

Early Life and Education

William Esson was born in a town called Carnoustie in Scotland. He later moved to England for his studies.

He attended St John's College, Oxford, which is a part of the famous Oxford University. This is where he studied and learned a lot about mathematics.

A Career in Mathematics

After finishing his studies, William Esson became a Fellow at Merton College, Oxford. A Fellow is like a senior member of a college who teaches and does research.

In 1892, he became the Savilian Professor of Geometry at the University of Oxford. This was a very important job in mathematics. He worked at New College, Oxford while holding this position.

Studying Chemical Change

Esson worked closely with another scientist named Augustus George Vernon Harcourt. Together, they studied problems in chemistry. They were especially interested in the speed at which chemical changes happen.

In 1869, Esson was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a great honor for scientists in the United Kingdom. In 1895, he and Harcourt gave a special talk called the Bakerian Lecture. They shared their research on how to understand the speed of chemical reactions. Their work helped explain how chemicals change over time.

Involvement with Schools

Besides his work at the university, Esson also helped with local schools. He was part of the governing body for Abingdon School until the year 1900.

Personal Life

In 1874, William Esson rented a house at 13 Bradmore Road in North Oxford. He lived there for some time. He passed away in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England.