Tait chair of mathematical physics

Tait conjectures
He served the Society as General Secretary for 22 years from 1879 until 1901.
Introduction.

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Peter Guthrie Tait

Scottish mathematical physicist (1831–1901)

Peter Guthrie TaitFRSE (28 April 1831 – 4 July 1901) was a Scottish mathematical physicist and early pioneer in thermodynamics. He is best known for the mathematical physics textbook Treatise on Natural Philosophy, which he co-wrote with Lord Kelvin, and his early investigations into knot theory.

His work on knot theory contributed to the eventual formation of topology as a mathematical discipline. His name is known in graph theory mainly for Tait's conjecture on cubic graphs. He is also one of the namesakes of the Tait–Kneser theorem on osculating circles.

Early life

Tait was born in Dalkeith on 28 April 1831 the only son of Mary Ronaldson and John Tait, secretary to the 5th Duke of Buccleuch.^[1]

He was educated at Dalkeith Grammar School then Edinburgh Academy, where he began his lifelong friendship with James Clerk Maxwell. He studied mathematics and physics at the University of Edinburgh, and then went to Peterhouse, Cambridge, graduating as senior wrangler and first Smi

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Papers of Professor Peter Guthrie Tait (1831-1901)

The local Indexes show other references to Tait material (check the Indexes for more details): lectures, 1879-80, 1885-86 at Gen. 2065-2066 and Gen. 1821; lectures at Gen. 1404-1408; lectures on natural philosophy in five volumes; examinations taken by Tait; miscellaneous notes; two photographs of Tait as a young man at Phot.Ill.190; and, other miscellaneous correspondence. In addition, the UK National Register of Archives notes: treatise on the dynamics of a particle, at Cambridge University, Peterhouse Library; correspondence with James Clerk-Maxwell, at Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives; letters at Trinity College, Dublin; correspondence with Lord Kelvin at Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives, and at Glasgow University Library, Special Collections Department; correspondence with Sir George Stokes at Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives; and, letters at Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories.

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CONTENTS

Introduction

In contrast to his illustrious compatriots, Maxwell and William Thomson (Lord Kelvin), the life and scientific work of Peter Guthrie Tait has been the subject of relatively little research. This booklet has been prepared in the hope that it will stimulate interest among historians of science and provide a starting point for their enquiries.

Tait’s biographer, Knott, catalogues some 365 papers, articles, laboratory notes, reviews and obituaries, together with two volumes of collected papers. The books that Tait wrote, in whole or in part, are also listed (see below: Knott, 1911, 351-365). This remains the most authoritative guide to the primary material of one of the nineteenth century’s most colourful scientists, though the biography that precedes it is a study in hagiography. The Royal Society Catalogue of Papers is another useful source.

Tait was certainly a man who courted controversy, differing publicly with many leading scientists, including Clausius, Tyndall and Gibbs (Daub, 1970, 1975; Cardwell, 1971; Cunningham, 1990; Bork, 1966; Crowe, 19