George GreenBorn 14 Jul 1793; died 31 Mar 1841 at age 47. English mathematician who was the first to develop a mathematical theory of electricity and magnetism. Astonishingly, he followed his father's trade as a baker and miller. He not only was self-taught as amathematician, but in Mar 1828 he privately published a few dozen copies of a sophisticated work,An Essay on the Application of Mathematical Analysis to the Theories of Electricity and Magnetism. At first it drew little attention, but by age 40, he went to study at Cambridge (Oct 1833). Eventually his Essay became known to Lord Kelvin (William Thomson) who understood it and built upon it, as well as James Clerk Maxwell. From obscure origins, Green had initiated modern mathematical theories of electricity.« |
