THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON HISTORICAL MANUS
4
Report on the correspondence and papers
of
SIR GEORGE PAGET THOMSON FRS
(1892-1975
physicist
deposited in
the Library, Trinity College, Cambridge
Reproduced for the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre
reserved
(CSAC 75/5/80)
London WC2A 1HP
by
my
THE ROYAL COMMESSTON ON HISTORICAL MANUSCREPTS,
Quality House, Quality Court, Chancery Lane,
CSAC 75/5/80
CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIFIC ARCHIVES CENTRE
LING
British National Committee for the History of Science, Medicine and Technology
under the guidance of the Royal Society’s
CATALOGUE OF THE PAPERS AND CORRESPONDENCE OF
SIR GEORGE PAGET THOMSON, FRS
(1892 - 1975)
Compiled by: Jeannine Alton
Deposited in the Library, Trinity College, Cambridge
Julia Latham= Jackson
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
LIST OF CONTENTS
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
neers
SECTION A
BIOGRAPHICAL AND AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
Ail = Asks
SECTION B
EARLY NOTEBOOKS AND RESEARCH
G..
Bao?
Introduction to Section B
B.1 ~B.10
School notebooks, 1905-10
B.11-B.31
Cambridge University.
notebooks and early research,
1910-14
Undergraduate
B.32-B.39
Research in Cambridge
1919-22
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
Introduction to Section C
SECTION D
lee D8
E.9i-E.105
Minutes of meetings, 1952-63
D.29-D.78
Second World War: other activities
Introduction to Section D
D.1 -D.28
SECTION E.
— THERMONUCLEAR RESEARCH
Nuclear physics and the MAUD
Committee
NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND THE SECOND WORLD
WAR
E.106-E.111 Correspondence, 1958-63
Notes, drafts and calculations,
1946-59
Patent applications relating to
thermonuclear energy, 1946-59
Correspondence and papers,
1946-52
Introduction to Section E
E.1 -E.70
E.71-E.87
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
E.112-E.143
Research reports and lectures by
others
E.144, E.145
Miscellaneous other material
liems
Page
SECTION F
SCIENTIFIC LECTURES AND WRITINGS
r= F209
Introduction to Section F
F.l
-F.33
University lectures (Cambridge,
Aberdeen, Imperial College)
F.34 -F.149
Physics
F.150-F.209
Nuclear and Thermonuclear
Ererciv
cme} 9)
SECTION G
HISTORY OF PHYSICS AND PHYSICISTS
G.1 -G.32
History of Physics
G.33-G.116
Obituaries, lectures and writings
on physicists
SECTION H
SCIENCE-RELATED INTERESTS
Introduction to Section H
H.1
-H.40
H.126-H.159 Euthanasia
H.79 -H.91
Science and education
H.92 -H.98
Science and war
H.41 -H.78
Science and society
H.99 -H.111
Science and religion
Aims and methods of science
H.112-H.125 Chance and predictability
INDEX OF CORRESPONDENTS
PLATES, SLIDES AND PHOTOGRAPHS
H.160, H.161
Shorter talks
SECTION J
CORRESPONDENCE
J.b- Ho
K.1 - K.4]
SECTION K
G.P. Thorson
CSAC 75/5/80 °
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
PROVENANCE
Most of the materia! was received from the Thomson family vic
Trinity College, Cambridge.
The bound volumes of Thomson's
ee
(A. 14),
of his
published papers (A.51, A.52), and of his own selection of letters from his wife
Kathleen (A.14A), are included by courtesy of Mr. D.P. Thomson.
The photocopy
of the letter by Thomson at J.119 has ki
made available by the Right Reverend the Bishop of Ely.
pre,
CAREER AND WORK OF G.P. THOMSON
Thomson was born in Cambridge in 1892, into a family of scientific
distinction on both sides.
His father, Sir Joseph Thomson (always known as 'J.J.),
was one of the foremost physicists of the
a Director of the Cavendish Laboratory,
work on the Third
early collaborative research with him and having access through him fo current work
After education at the Perse Schocl and Trinity College, Cambridge,
electron.
His son George was much guided and influenced by his father, conducting
vision, and was elected a Fellow of Corpus Christi College in 1914.
During the
on the frontiers of knowledge, as his later historical writings frequently testify.
Thomson's collaboration with his father continued for many years and included join
c
Cambridge, and in 1906 awarded the Nobe! Prize for Physics for his discovery of the
Thomson began research in 1913 at the Cavendish Laboratory under his father's super-
he shared with C.J. Davisson the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1937.
First World War he was attached to the Royal Flying Corps at the Royal Aircraft
most famous work was done, on electron diffraction by thin films (
1926-28), for which
Factory (later Establishment) at Farnborough, where he was a member of the famous
‘Chudleigh Mess' and formed lasting friendships with F.W. Aston, W.S. Farren,
B.M. Jones, F.A. Lindemann (later
Lord Cherwell), G.1. Taylor and others.
At the end of the War he returned to Cambridge, and in 1922 was
appointed Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen.
Here his
G.P. Thomsen
CSAC 75/5/80
In 1930, after a visit to America lecturing and working at Cornell,
Thomson, now a Fellow of the Royal Society, moved to London as Professor of Physics
at Imperial College.
He continued work on electron diffraction and tried to develop
it as a research tool for the study of surfaces, and also encouraged electron microscopy.
A protracted illness which declared itself early in 1936 seriously interrupted his experi-
mental work and marked the effective end of his work on electrons.
Instead, he pursued
the interest in nuclear physics begun a few years earlier, and in 1939 was quick to see
the possible military implications of current work in nuclear fission.
His professional
knowledge, and his personal acquaintance with leading scientists ond government
advisers enabled him fo initiate investigations, especially as (from April 1940) Chairman
of the MAUD Committee which reported on the feasibility of an atomic weapon.
During the Second World War, subsequent to his work on the
MAUD Committee, and after two years at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough,
Thomson was sent as Scientific Liaison Officer to Canada,
At this time, his wife
at Imperial College.
He was knighted in 1943.
Under Thomson's guidance, work on an electrodeless
the team
the Air Ministry (1943-44).
He resigned this post in December 1944 to resume work
His scientific interests now centred on the study of cosmic rays and
Kathleen was seriously ill
in America; her death at the end of 1941 was a great blow
He remained in Canada until summer 1942 after which he returned te Britain
to him.
to become Deputy Chairman of the Radio Board (1942-43) and Scientific Adviser to
mesons, and on nuclear fusion - itself a development of a theory of an electrodeless
discharge put forward by 'J.J.'.
torus proceeded at Imperial College and was provisionally patented in 1946;
subsequently transferred to the A.E.1. laboratories at Aldermaston, while similar work
he died in 1975,
A.E.1., ZETA at Harwell - which attracted much attention when they were brought
as Master;
he remained there until 1962 and spent his retirement in Cambridge, where
was also ir: progress at Harwell.
Both groups produced an apparatus - SCEPTRE al
to the notice of the general public in 1958.
In 1952 Thomson returned to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge,
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
The material includes notebooks, manuscript notes and drafts,
drafts for lectures and papers (many unpublished or additional to those listed in th
Bibliography compiled for the Royal Society Memoir of Thomson), photographs and
slides of experimental results, and correspondence.
Of considerable interest are the drafts and text of Thomson's
autobiography covering his career to 1966;
this document, which he had written
primarily for his family, is included at A.2 - A.14 and has, with permission, been
drawn upon in compiling some of the catalogue entries.
is an important source
It
of information for some of the 'gaps' in the surviving manuscripts, particularly for
such matters as Thomson's activities in the Second World War (other than the MAUD
Committee), his many foreign visits and his public commitments.
In his introduction
to the autobiography, Thomson mentions his inability to write adequately of his wife
Cathleen, and of his hope to compile a selection of her letters to him; bound copies
of the autobiography, and of the letters, have been made available by Mr. D.P.
Thomson and appear at A.14, A.14A respectively.
f
may
.
Unfortu-
diffraction.
nately, it
mented by notebooks, lectures and slides;
his contribution to thermonuclear research,
Thomson's service to the Royal Society, The Institute of Physics,
survives mainly in the forra of manuscript notes and drafts (see Section E).
Thomson's scientific research on electron diffraction is well docu-
is clear that much has been lost of the early correspondence on electron
the British Association and many other leamed societies, is also very scantily
on which he was able to publish very little because of the demands of security,
He frequently assembled information and
together with his admiration for his father and early acquaintance with eminent men
of various kinds, and also contributed many obituary tributes for individual scientists,
Thomson's own distinguished contribution to scientific knowledge,
many of them his personal friends.
He wrote and lectured widely
.¢
the history of sctence and
fs
ol
.
often for anniversary
of science, made him always aware of
a "
te
“
Pi
1
5
on these subjects,
e.
its practitioners.
ae .
ses
a
celebrations
documented,
f
sf
|
"
'
|
%
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
6
recollections additional to those which appeared in the final publication, but which
survive in the collection.
Material relating to his historical and biographical
writings on 'J.J.' can be found in the collection of papers of J.J. Thomson
(CSAC no. 74/4/80) in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge.
In addition to an historical awareness, Thomson was also conscious
of the impact of science on many aspects of life and thought.
Section H groups
together his lectures and writings on science-related topics of this kind:
j
g
Pp
it includes
inter alia material on his work for the Voluntary Euthanasia Society which occupied
much of his interest in his later
years.
y,
LOCATIONS OF OTHER MATERIAL
Thomson's original electron diffraction camera was deposited in
p
the Science Museum, London, in 1948 (see J.107).
family hands.
ACKNOW LEDGEMENT
The help of Dr. M.J. Whelan, FRS, Reader in the Physical
ENQUIRIES
Enquiries should be addressed in the first instance to The Librarian,
relating to electron diffraction, is gratefully acknowledged.
Examination of Materials in the University ef Oxford, in identifying material
Trinity College, Cambridge.
G.P. ae
CSAC 7 / '5/5/% 80
BIOGRAPHICAL AND AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL A.1- A,
Obituaries and tributes.
Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society,
23, 1977, pp.529-556 (by P.B. Moon).
Contemporary Physics, 17, no.1, 1976.
The Times, 12 September 1975.
2 pp. account of Thomson's life and work, by O.R.
Frisch, nod. [19753.
Photocopy of a printed collection of messages and
photographs assembled by Thomson's younger daughter,
Rose Ben
in honour of his 80th birthday (see Moon,
Contributors include many of
Fhomcn'’
ee as well as members of his own family.
Autobiographical material.
The main source is Thomson's draft autobiography (A. 2-
/
A.12) in a series of notebooks and loose
graph manuscript but including some typed-up séquences.
Some additional notes and material are included in A.13,
pages, most cufo-
Mae
It
I did
or at David's EMr. D.P. Thomson J
if John happens
Of his autobiography, Thomson wrote (A.2):
A copy may be lent to whoever the Royal
has been written for my children and grandchildren, in tt
that the former may be interested in reading of events they
remember or have heard about and that the latter as they grow
up may en icy hearing about the homes in which their parents
is
lived, and the family into which they have been born.
not meant for publication, but | have no objection to suitable
extracts being published at John's discretion [ Sir John Adam Thomson,
KCMG J,
to be out of England.
Society selects to write the usual biographical memoir.
not feel able to write about Kathleen E Kathleen Buchanan, née
Adam Smith J, but hope to have a few copies made of a selection
of her letters which may give a beiter idea of her than | can hope
to do.'
is included at A. 14A.
at A.14; a volume of Kathleen Thomson's selected letters
A bound copy of the complete autobiography appears
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Spiral-bound notebook, ‘Autobiography 1', with loose pages
inserted,
Ms. and typescript,
le
Childhood, family and early days to 1901 when Thomson entered
King's College Choir School.
.
~
Spiral-bound notebook, ‘Autobiography 2', with loose pages
inserted.
Ms. and typescript.
‘Chapt. II', King's College Choir School, and the Perse
School, Cambridge.
The book is used from the back.
several pages of notes on Determinism.
At the front of the book are
Spiral-bound notebook, 'Auiobiography 3.
with loose pages inserted.
Trinity Years’,
Ms. and typescript.
Ms. and typescript.
Spiral-bound notebook, ‘Autobiography 4.
Ist World War, Corpus', with many loose pages and longer
sequences inserted.
Trinity (Continued),
Spring-back binder, 'Autobiography 5. Aberdeen and early
Imperial College.
sequence.
Visit to Rumania‘, with an additional
Narrative continues to include 'Chapter VI' on Corpus Christi
College, further material for 'End of Chap.Vi' on the Thomson
and Paget families, 'Chap. VII' on Aberdeen,
served, offen as Chairman.
This covers the award of the Nobel Prize, Thomson's serious
illness 1936 and 1937, the MAUD Committee, Kathleen Thomson's
death, various Second World War activities, to August 1945.
This covers Thomson's marriage, and his most famous scientific
work on electron diffraction.
Rear of book contains lists of Committees on which Thomson
Spiral-bound notebook, ‘Autobiography 6.
many loose pages inserted.
Illness, War', with
Ms, and typescript.
OAK
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
.
Biographical and autobiographical
°
is
.
'
Spiral-bound notebook, ‘Autobiography 7,
with some loose pages.
Post War London’,
Ms. Narrative includes visit to Pakistan, 1952, and became
arabs aos
‘United Nations XI'.
Ms.,on ‘Atomic Energy Commission of the
1946-47' and 'Thermonuclear’.
United Nations,
Narrative continues to about 1963.
‘Chap. XII.
P
Activities and organisations’.
¢
Envelope of ms. narratives on ‘Institute of Physics’, 'Schools',
"Government Research', 'Committees', 'Clubs', 'Lectures',
'Books', 'Pugwash Conference’, ‘British Association’.
‘Chap. XIII.
Return to Corpus'.
‘Chap. XIV.
Includes:
Ms, narrative, and spiral-bound notebook ‘Autobiography 8'
describing visits fo Malta (1963), and Holland and a note
on portraits of Thomson.
below.)
(These are drafts for parts of ‘Chap. XiV'
Visits and Holidays’.
Envelope of various ms. and typescript narratives,
Folder of miscellaneous materia! and notes assembled for
autobiography .
The last page is Thomson's conclusion, dated November 7,1966,
in which he says 'I count myself strangely and singularly
blessed’,
probably for a history of the school, 1969.
Lists of Hon. degrees, committees, holidays, land-
marks in family history, summary diary of events 1949-62.
4 pp. account of 'Sixth Form Mathematics at The Perse,
1906-1910', sent with covering letter to A.C. Hawkins,
G ° P e Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Biographical and autobiographical
Spiral bound duplicated typescript text of the complete
autobiography;
Thomson had a few copies prepared for
presentation to members of his family and
included in the collection by courtesy of Mr.
oo one is
D.P. Thomson,
‘Kathleen's letters to G.P.T.'
Duplicated typescript, 168 pp.
This is
a copy of the selection of Kathleen Thomson's
letters to which Thomson refers in A.2, kindly made avail-
able by Mr. D.P. Thomson.
The Foreword, by Thomson, is dated 28 June 1968,
and the letters run from 20 March 1924 to 1 December 1941.
Kathleen Thomson died on 22 December 1941.
Envelope annotated by Thomson 'My first published work',
Contains copy of an essay by Thomson entitled 'Effect on
Naval Warfare of Substititon of Steam for Sails', published
in The Navy League Journal, December 1906 as the result
of the award of their annual prize to Thomson, then aged 14,
His interest in ships continued throughout his life, and
Px
16, A.17
2 lectures on aeroplanes.
See K.40, K.41 for 2 boxes of slides relating to these lectures.
‘How an aeroplane flies'.
script with ms. corrections.
the autobiography contains many pleasant accounts of
sailing holidays with friends or family.
Neither of the lectures is dated, but they were probably
delivered soon after the First World War, perhaps in
Cambridge.
Some printed matter is also included in the folder.
1p. ms. notes followed by type-
‘The Science of Flight'.
corrections.
12 pp. typescript with some ms.
G. P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Biographical
and autobiographical
A.18-A.23
Ms. notes and drafts for various speeches, delivered in
Cambridge or relating to Cambridge University affairs,
1953-69,
1953, 1957
‘Speech to Middlesex C.C. scholars',
24 September 1953,
Speech on retirement of George Lewis, 4 October 1957,
1958, 1960
Speech on retirement of C.D. Bicknell, 8 January 1958.
Speech at Marlowe Society Dinner, 17 November 1958.
Ms. and typescript notes and drafts for broadcast on the
Cavendish Laboratory, December 1958,
Notes for talk delivered to Cambridge University Natural
Science Club, February 1960,
62-63
1964, 1966
ere ences
‘Speech in the Senate House’, 22 May 1962,
Speech at Corpus Association Dinner, 6 July 1962.
Speech at Cambridge Society of York Dinner, 21 February
1962.
Speech at Feast of the Commemoration of Benefactors
of Trinity College, Cambridge, 15 March 1963.
T. Shand, 30 September 1969,
After dinner speech at 2200th Meeting of Cambridge
University Natural Science Club,
30 May 1968.
Speech on opening of the George Thomson Building,
Leckhampton, 10 October 1964.
‘Discussion on Deer Report.
Thomson', 7 March 1966.
P
Statement by
Sir George
2 copies, one annotated,
J
Y
1968, 1969.
.
Speech on retirement of
a
It
:
oe
.
)
’
:
es
‘
y
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/8C
Biographical and autobiographical
3
neds
Includes:
Speech at inauguration
Assembly Hall.
of King's College School
Speech delivered
at Perse School (prizegiving?).
Notes
for speech to True Blue Club.
Speech re Corpus Boathouse.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Biographical and autobiographical
A.24-A,33
Honours, awards, membership of societies
A.24
Award of Howard N. Potts Gold Medal of The Franklin
Institute, Philadelphia.
Correspondence re award; Thomson was unab
attend the ceremony, and the medal was received
on his behalf by the British Consul General,
Conferral of Hon, D.Sc., University of Lisbon.
Correspondence re Nobel Lecture.
1938
Thomson was awarded the Nobel Prize in November
1937 but was unable, for reasons of ill-health, to
travel to Stockholm to deliver his Nobel Lecture
until June 1938,
For typescript of the Lecture, see F.78.
Letters of congratulation on Knighthood.
Certificate of Membership, Society of instrument
Technology.
See'G, 26-G,28.
American Academy of Aris and Sciences.
Programme of evenis, Thomson's ms, speech in
Conferral of Hon. LI.D., University of Aberdeen.
Award of Royal Medal of the Royal Society.
Letters of conferral;
letters of congratulation.
American Physical Society.
Election as Member; certificate.
Election as Foreign Honorary Member; certificate
and correspondence,
reply,
Nomination as Honorary Councillor, Consejo Superior
de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid.
Farewe!l dinner and presentation to Thomson on his
departure from Imperial College.
Conferral of Associateship, Royal College of Science.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Biographical cand autobiographical
pe lOGIOPMGe
UID:
Cor rres spondenc ¢ re various C commil trees
oe
nas
perenne
cee
pa
See also Section D, especially D. 10-D.28 (MAUD
Committee).
Committee on the Education and taining of Students
from Overseas, set up by Board of Education and
Board of Trade.
1933
Correspondence, report.
Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
Renewal of invitation to serve on Board of
Visitors.
Copy of letter re Thomson's journey to U.S. as
temporary replacement of Chadwick on U.K. Delegation
to Atomic Energy Commission.
Invitation to serve on Church Assembly Commission on
Atomic Power.
(Correspondence continues to 1948.)
1946
1946
Paper on organisation and functions of Scientific and
Technical Intelligence Committees, sent for information
to Thomson as member of the Joint Committees.
1947
1950
1950
195]
Invitation (declined) to serve on Science Museum
Advisory Council, riewly reconstituted.
Correspondence re Scientific Advisory Panel, and re
consultancy, Ministry of Defence.
Brief correspondence re University of London committees,
and Old Centralians.
Invitation to serve on Advisory Committee, U.K.A.E.A.,
set up in relation to the history of the Authority to be
written by M.M. Gowing.
1968
Brief correspondence with U.K.A.E.A. re classified
papers returned by Thomson.
196]
G.P. Thomson
0
CSAC 75/5/8
A.A 14-A, 48
A.44
Biographical and autobiographical
Brief correspondence of biographical interest,
Includes:
Thomson's letter to Commissioner of Metropolitan
Police, requesting permission to buy ammunition
for his 'war trophy' pistol,
in connection with his
experiments at Imperial College on the deformation
of metals under stress,
Correspondence re Thomson's cousin, Meyrick
Paget, missing after the capture of Singapore.
A photograph of Thomson is also included in the
folder.
Financial affairs
Correspondence with Imperial College, 1937-51,
Thomson's F.$.S.U. policies,
family allowances,
’
accounts and expenses.
y
’
I
College
g
Correspondence with bank and brokers re shares, dividends,
etc., learn) .
estate of J.J. Thomson, 1947,
Includes a little correspondence re
Ministry of Defence, 1943, 1947
Foreign Office, 1947
Shorter personal accounts.
Shorter correspondence re subscriptions.
Correspondence and notifications of salary or consultancy
fees, from:
Associated Electrical Industries Limited, 1950-51
Paul Instrument Fund Committee, 1950-51
Endeavour, 1948.
Requests for autographs or biographical information,
Miscellaneous personal notes and jottings.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Biographical and autobiographical
-
—
—
sentonien
2 bound volumes containing a set of Thomson's published
papers arranged in chronological order.
1920-49
2 sets of ms. notes by Thornson on one of his
papers are clipped to the relevant offprint.
1950-61
Book reviews and other shorter articles, some y
undated, are included at the back of the b
5
4
nh der °
Box containing loose offprints of Thomson's papers
(incomplete set).
oor, st
CSAC 75
SECTION B
~~ EARLY NOTEBOOKS AND RESEARCH , 1905 - 1922
- B.39
_B.1
This Section documents aspects of Thomson's education at the
Perse School and Trinity College, Cambridge, and his early research conducted
at the Cavendish Laboratory under the direction of his father immediately before
and after the First World War.
The material is presented as follows:
B.1
-B.10
School hotebostes 1905-10
B.11-B.31
Cambridge University.
notebooks and early research 1910-14
Undergraduate
B.32-B.39
Research in Cambridge 1919-22
Many of Thomson's notebooks were re-used at different periods
of his life; sometimes the old pages were torn out, sometimes he restarted from
the back of the book.
Occasionally a single notebook contains very diverse
material, such as B.2 (school exercises at one end and personal accounts for
nuclear research).
See also D.17 in the collection of J.J. Thomson (CSAC
1924-26 at the other) and E.60 (schoo! exercises followed by notes on thermo-
74/4/80, in Trinity College, Cambridge), a notebook containing mathemotics
notes from Thomson's undergraduate days which he later used for his father's
biography.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Early notebooks and research
School Notebooks 1905-10
The earliest of these dates from Thomson's first year at the
Perse School, Cambridge, and the subjects covered include
English literature and the classics as well as science and mathe-
matics.
lectures at Cambridge University, and his notes on these appear
During his last year at school he attended A. Wood's
Bcd © Bi.
Dilapidated hard-cover notebook with part of front cover
missing, bearing the legend 'Physics.
and Light as learnt by G.P. Thomson since the year 1’.
Magnetism Electricity
Contains school exercises from 1905.
dated, but they probably continue for about 2 years.
Very few entries are
Hard-cover notebook inscribed inside front cover 'Thomson.
Literature.
Oct. term 1905'.
Contains schoo! exercises, October 1905-July 1906.
The back of the book contains accounts of personal expenditure,
November 1924-October 1926.
Hard-cover notebook containing notes by Thomson on ancient
Greek history and culture, n.d., ¢.1906-7.
Hard-cover notebook containing notes on mechanics and
electricity. n.d.
Hard-cover notebook inscribed inside front cover ‘Thomson.
Light.
Summer Term 1907', with a later annotation by
Thomson 'Alex Wood's lectures 1908 or 9'.
Some pages
have been torn out of the front of the book - presumably
the material on light.
Thomson's hand, have been left in situ.
cover 'Alex Wood's lectures 1909'.
Hard-cover notebook labelled 'G.P. Thomson.
Light (2)
and Sound', with later annotation by Thomson inside front
Hard-cover notebook labelled 'Light.
with a later annotation by Thomson ‘Alex Wood's lectures
190R".
G.P. Thomson',
A few loose pages of notes, all in
Thomson
en pt ie
LO/o/t 0
CSAC
Early | notebooks | and research
Hard-cover notebook labelled 'Perse Grammar School.
Thomson.
"Geometrical Conics'.
Inside front cover is the heading
VI special’.
Thomson mentions in his autobiography (A.3) that during
his last year at school
by H.W. Turnbul
this period.
g
! i, and the notebook presumably da
e was coached in ‘nestle ico ee
te s from
h
Hard-cover notebook containing notes on 'Conic Sections!
n.d., c.1909-10 (see B.8).
Soft-cover notebook containing account by Thomson of
‘Experiments made May-July 1910' on the first 3 pages.
Most of the rest of the book has been left blank.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Early notebooks and research
o.11-B.3t
Cambridge University.
Undergraduate notebooks and early
research, 1910-1914
The majority of these contain notes on lectures attended
by Thomson during this period, including some by his father
(B.26, B.27, B.30).
ltem B.31 documents Thomson's first research at the
Cavendish Laboratory, where he began work on positive rays
vader his father's direction in the summer of 1913, to be
interrupted a year later by the outbreak of war.
Hard=cover notebook with much later
Thomson 'G.A. Herman's coaching’.
dated October 1910, but most of the subsequent entries are
undated.
annotation by G.P.
The first entry is
'It cost nine guineas a term, quite a sum in those
The coaching was really a set of lectures, but
In his autobiography (A.4) Thomson recalls that he and five
others went to G.A. Herman three times a week for private
coaching.
days ...
examples were set and each morning he went through those
set last time ...
The actual lecture was given fairly fast
and our notes were often incomplete, but we used to’ meet
afterwards in someone's rooms and learned a lot in the pro-
cess of sorting them out.
had been free we
should probably not have taken this trouble, to our loss.!
If the lectures
Some pages, presumably con-
Orange cloth-covered notebook labelled 'G.P. Thomson.
Invariants’, with annotation by Thomson
Trinity College.
inside front cover 'Herman coaching date?',
Hard-cover notebook with barely legible label 'Algebra,
Thomson', and annotation by Thomson inside front cover
‘Herman coaching date?'.
taining school exercises in algebra, have been torn from
the front of the book.
A bundle of loose notes has been
left in place inside the book.
which have been left in situ,
Blue cloth-covered notebook inscribed inside front cover
'G.P. Thomson.
Trigonometry and Fourier Series. May
Term 1911.
of loose notes which has been left in situ.
Red cloth-covered notebook inscribed inside front cover
'G.P. Thomson,
Mr. Herman. October 1911',
Notes from
Contains a few loose pages
Trinity College. Astronomy.
Notes from Mr. Herman',
Contains a bundle
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Early notebooks and: research
Green cloth-covered notebook inscribed inside front cover
'G.P. Thomson.
Notes from Mr. Herman.
Trinity College.
Rigid Dynamics.
October 1911'.
Hard-cover notebook labelled ‘Dynamics of a particle and
Rigid Dynamics.
in Thomson's hand inside front cover 'Cillegible J Dyn.
of a Part. & Rigid’.
Trinity’, with a note
G.P. Thomson.
n.d.
Black cloth-covered notebook inscribed inside front cover
'G.P. Thomson.
Hobson’.
Integral Equations.
n.d., c.1910-12.
Trinity.
Prof.
Hard-cover notebook with later annotation by Thomson
‘Lectures by Barnes'.
Equations'.
n.d., c.1910-12.
The first entry is headed 'Differential
Hard-cover notebook labelled 'Elliptic Functions.
Thomson.
‘Berry's Lectures’.
Trinity', with a later annotation by Thomson
n.d., c.1910-12.
G.P.
Dark red cloth-covered notebook inscribed inside front
cover 'G.P. Thomson.
Electro~optics by Dr. Bromwich.
Easter 1912',
Trin. Coll.
Electric Waves and
Trin. Coll.
May 1912',
Trinity College.
Electro~
n.d.
Hydrodynamics &
notebook inscribed inside front cover
Black hard=-cover
'G.P. Thomson.
Vacation 1912',
Dark red cloth-covered notebook inscribed inside front
cover 'G.P. Thomson.
magnetism.
Trinity College.
Notes from Mr. Bromwich’.
Pale blue cloth-covered notebook inscribed inside front
cover 'G.P. Thomson.
Mr. Cameron.
Sound.
io Lent Term 1913.
Hard-cover notebook inscribed inside front cover 'G.P.
Thomson.
Soft-cover notebook labelled ‘Electricity and Matter.
Sir J.J. Thomson.
At the back of the book is
of R&ntgen Radiation’,
Contains accounts of experiments to Lent Term 1913.
a brief note headed ‘Scattering
Lectures from Mr. Searle.
Lecture notes continue
Oct. 1912'.
Cambridge.
Oct. 1912',
4
s
7
Trinity.
n.d.
Long
¢&
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s
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a
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Ear! ty notebooks and research
Red cloth-covered notebook inscribed inside front c
'G.P. Thomson,
Sir J.J. Thomson, March 1913.
Electricity and Matter'
(Continuation of B.26.)
Hard-cover notebook inscribed inside front cover
'G.P. Thomson.
Electrical Measurements,
Searle 1913',
Beige cloth-covered notebook labelled 'G.P. Thomson.
Optics' °
Contains notes on lectures.
nd.
e
|
Orar
h~ COVe Ye}
Vrange cloth~covered notebook inscribed inside front Covel
'G.P. Thomson.
J.J. Thomson'.
Structure of the Atom.
Trin. Coll.
n.d.
h- ale
1
Y
i
ec
r ib
£.
-
yer
Soft-cover notebook labelled 'Positive Rays 1913-14',
Contains notes on laboratory experiments (not all in
Thomson's hand),
July 1913-June 1914,
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Early notebooks and research
B.32-B.39
Research in Cambridge, 1919-1922
After the First World War Thomson returned to the
Cavendish to resume the work on positive rays, turning later
to anode rays with which he discovered, simultaneously
with F.W. Aston, that lithium comprises two isotopes of
masses 6 and 7,
The notebooks continue to May 1922, after which
Thomson accepted an appointment as Professor of Natural
Philosophy at Aberdeen University.
Hard=cover notebook with loter annotation by Thomson
‘Stratton on Spectroscopy’.
A few pages (presumably
containing school exercises) have been torn from the front
and back of the book.
At the back of the book there are
two pages of ‘Readings with Hilger direct reading Spectroscope'
dated 24 December 1919 and 4 January 1920, a loose page
of notes dated 2 January 1920, and a post card from F.J.M.
Stratton to Thomson postmarked November 1919, — Intemal
evidence suggests that the lecture notes at the front of the
book belong to the same period (none of them are dated),
form VI', the first
Dr.
notebook labelled ‘Hydrogen Spectrum 1920'.
Red soft-cover
Contains notes on experiments, diagrams of apparatus, tables
of results, etc.
Entries continue to 19 May.
6 January 1920 is tucked inside the front cover of the book.
The first entry is dated 15 January 1920.
A loose page of notes dated
Hard-cover notebook labelled ‘Thomson.
entry in which is headed 'Design of Apparatus etc.
Aston. May 1920'.
Several pages, presumably containing
school exercises, have been torn from the front of the book.
Entries continue to 9 August 1921,
Brown soft-cover exercise book labelled 'July 1920 - Feb.
1921. Anode Rays'.
with diagrams of apparatus, tables of results, ete.
begin on 9 July 1920 and continue almost daily to 1 February
1921 with a break between 1 August and 11 October 1920.
Dark blue soft-cover notebook labelled 'Anode Rays Il.
and inscribed inside front cover 'G.P. Thomson. Corpus
Christi Coll.
The first entry is dated
3 February and continues on from the last entry in B.35.
Contains accounts of experiments
Entries
Feb.-Aug. 1921',
1921',
CRs Thom: son
CSAC 75/5/80
Early no}
books and res 2arch
tebook label
ff-cover no
Red so
rays.
of experimental work, tables
1921-23 May 1922
pesca dete
ct ion.
Contains recor
Rei etc.
1 October
Readings plotted 1922'.
resulis, February- ‘May 1922.
Black soft-cover notebook labelled 'Scattering by
method.
ere
several loose sheets tucked inside the front cover of the bo
and some pages, presumably containing school exercises,
have been removed from what was originally the front of the
book (now the back).
Contains diagrams of
There are
electric
g
by
"Absorption of positive Rays (Protons
5 pp. ms. calculations and notes on the literature.
nd.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
SECTION C — ELECTRON DIFFRACTION C.1 - C.45
In 1922 Thomson was appointed as Professor of Natural
Philosophy in the University of Aberdeen, where he remained until 1930
when he went fo succeed H.L. Callendar as Professor of Physics at Imperial
College, London.
It was at Aberdeen that Thomson did his famous electron
diffraction experiments which led to his sharing the Nobel Prize for Physics
with C.J. Davisson in 1937.
The research notes and notebooks in this
Section document much of this work together with his earlier research at
Aberdeen on positive rays.
On moving to Imperial College Thomson continued to study
electron diffraction and tried to develop it as a technique for the study of
surfaces.
His experimental work was interrupted by illness at the beginning
of 1936 by which time he was already becoming interested in the study of
neutrons which had been introduced to Imperial College by P.
B. Moon soon
after his arrival (see Section D);
it was to this study that he returned when
Fand G.
he was able to resume work in 1938,
Lectures on electron diffraction are to be found in Sections
See also Section K for slides of electron diffraction experiments.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Electro n Dif fract ion
‘Test of a Theory of Radiation, 1923'.
University of Aberdeen Examination Book containing
descriptions and diagrams of apparatus, notes of experi-
mental results, 29 January-6 March 1923,
‘Test of a Theory of Radiation, 1923 (2)'.
University of Aberdeen Examination Book containing
notes on experiments, 19 March-22 May 1923.
Two
loose sheets of notes and diagrams are also tucked inside the
book and have been left in situ.
Contents of a folder labelled 'Potential Drop in Dark Space.
October 1923-January 1924',
.
i
For ease of reference, the material has been subdivided
and put into separate folders.
of the papers has been retained,
Thomson's crigina! ordering
Typescript droft of paper by Thomson on 'The Cathode Fall
of Potential in
a High Voltage Discharge’ later published
in Proc.R.Soc.Edinb. 44, 129-139,
The draft is undated.
See also Introduction to Section F.
Graphs showing experimental results, 25 October 1923-
10 January 1924,
in the folder is a letter from J.J. Thomson,
Also included
22 January 1924, containing an account of some experimental
results relating to Thomson's research.
University of Aberdeen Examination Book containing notes
on experimental apparatus and results, 24-30 October 1923.
3 loose pages of graphs (n.d.) are tucked inside the front
cover of the book.
wds read,
Miscellaneous notes, drafts, calculations and diagrams.
have been left inside the original folder.
of a meeting of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 5 May 1924,
at which G.P. Thomson's paper on 'The Cathode Fall of Potential
University of Aberdeen Examination Book containing tables
of experimental results 31 October-20 November 1923
(includes some loose pages).
Notes on experiments and tables of results, 21 November
1923-14 January 1924,
These
Includes programme
a High-Volt ge Disc harge
;
in
1
beds
me
\
4
ait Veermnnraa’
ai
col
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/8
Electron Diffraction
Dark blue soft-cover notebook labelled 'Scattering by
photographic method, including argon'.
ments, diagrams of apparatus, tables of results, etc.
28 November 1924-23 April 1926. Many of the entries
are in the hand of J.D, McKay (Thomson's laboratory
assistant),
which have been left in place.
The book contains a few loose pages of notes
Records of experi~-
Cu10-C.ee
Contents of folder labelled 'Calculations for Scattering of
positive rays in hydrogen, argon and helium',
The order
of the papers remains unchanged but the original folder has
been discarded,
Note by Thomson of the dates between which experiments
were performed with various gases (hydrogen, oxygen, helium,
argon), January 1925-June 1926.
2 letters from the British Photographic Research Association
(F.C. Toy), July 1924, re calibrated wedges.
University of Aberdeen Examination Book labelled 'Argon
and Helium Scattering Results and Calculations’.
Contains
notes, calculations and summaries of experimental results.
C12
2 pp. calculations headed 'To find collision relation’.
Bundle of unlabelled calculations.
C.12-C.19 ‘Calculations for hydrogen scattering.
Paper Phil. Mag.
May 1926",
Bundle of calculations labelled "Inverse Square Law',
Miscellaneous calculations and summaries of results of
experiments on scattering of positive rays by hydrogen,
13 March-3 June 1925,
Mo lect ste! °
Bundle of calculations labelled 'Effect of Two Nuclei in
one Molecule'.
Bundle of calculations labelled 'Change of Action in Scattering’.
Bundie of calculations labelled 'Inyverse cube’.
Bundle of calculations labelled 'Wentzelis Theory’.
Bundle of calculations labelled 'Field of force of a Bohr
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Electron Diffraction .
Miscellaneous tables, diagrams, calculations, referring to
various gases,
Graphs showing results of experiments with hydrogen, January-
June 1925,
Graphs showing results of experiments with oxygen, helium
and argon, June 1925-June 1926,
Bundle of ms. notes by Thomson on four papers by Schrddinger
on wave mechanics, c.1926.
Dark green hard-cover notebook labelled on spine 'McKay's
notes April 1926-November 1928 also measurements of some
early rings'.
Some of the entries are in Thomson's hand.
McKay was Thomson's laboratory assistant at Aberdeen,
accompanied Thomson on his visit to Cornell in 1929-30 (see C.33)
and continued working for him when he moved to Imperial
College.
He
Unlabelled dark blue notebook recording experimental results,
19 January-5 February 1927.
Not in Thomson's hand.
'The Derivation of Quantum Statistics’.
All the entries are in Thomson's hand.
G.P.
All are undated.
The folder also contains a
Black spring-back binder containing records of experimental
resulis.
Films. Measurements September 21 1927-June 1929.
Thomson’,
The title page reads 'Diffraction Rings by Metal
Spring-back folder containing bundles of ms. notes by Thomson
and another.
reprint of an article by J.E, Lennard-Jones on ‘Some recent
developments of statistical mechanics' dated 1928.
the front cover and appears as a separate item at C.30.
Blue hard-cover notebook labelled '"E" Curve for Gold April/29'.
The heading inside the front cover reads '"F" curve measurements
April 1929
on 12,
19,
pages labelled 'Fig.1' and 'Fig.2' have been left tucked inside
the rear cover;
Bundle of ms. notes with heading added later by Thomson
‘Attempt to repeat Rupp Expt (?)'.
G.P. Thomson',
22 and 29 April with summary of results.
Contains records of experiments
2 loose
Tucked into the front of the binder is
10 June 1929, re electron diffraction experiments.
a letter from E. Rupp,
a bundle of graphs has been removed from inside
G.P. Thomson
CSAG 75/5, /80
Electron diffraction
illustrating results of experiments for 12,
These were originally tucked
inside the front cover of the notebook at C.29 above.
and "29 mee 1929.
19
f
Correspondence re electron diffraction experiments from
F. Kirchner
N.F. Mott
A. Sommerfeld
27 December 1929
n.d.j'e, 1929
4 December 1929,
Thomson's replies to these letters have not survived.
also includes miscellaneous related diagrams and printed
maiter,
Folder
Dark green spring-back binder labelled 'Diffraction by
Reflection
experimental results, August 1929-May 1930.
1929-30 measurements',
Contains records of
Dark green hard-cover notebook labelled on spine ‘McKay's
notes November 1928-March 1932',
Not all entries are in
McKay's hand.
4 pp. of loose nce’ on ‘Zine sulphide’,
November 1932, have been removed to a separate folder,
Thomson's
See F.48-F.55 for lectures given by Thomson in America
during this visit.
4 pp. laboratory notes headed 'Zinc Sulphide', November
1932,
These were originally tucked into the back of the
notebook at C.33.
Includes record of experimental work done during
visit to Cornell University where he held the Baker ponereitdees
lectureship in Chemistry, October 1929- January 1930.
Dark green spring-back binder labelled 'Diffraction by single
crystals
results, calculations, etc.
from W. Diack, 29 September 1931,
The original binder has been discarded.
Contents of a binder labelled ‘Polarization Expt. Sept. 1932-
Oct.34'.
re various difficulties encountered in the conduct of the
experiment.
Notes, calculations and diagrams, including a note
June 1930- May 19ST
Records of experimental
Includes letter (at back of binder)
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Electron diffraction
Dark blue hard-cover notebook labelled on front cover
‘Prof. Thomson's Laboratory.
Expt.' and on spine ‘Polarisation 1933-34'.
Record of Double Scattering
The first entry is dated 11 January 1933, and entries continue
to the conclusion of the experiment on 16 April 1944,
Very
little of the material is
in Thomson's hand,
1934',
Contains records of
Brown spring-back binder labelled on spine ‘Accelerated
Electrons, stainless steel
experiments 19 October 1934-22 January 1935 and September-
October 1935 (with Ip. notes for 29 and 30 July headed
‘Specimens of Mirrors from Admiralty Research Dept.').
There are also some pages of data and calculations;
from T. Scharff, 28 November 1936, re Fe304;
pondence with Firth-Vickers Stainless Steels Lid., November-
December 1935;
on a paper submifted by Thomson to the Faraday Society
(see C.39).
and referees' comments, November 1936,
a letter
corres-
'The Protective Film on Stainless Steel',
based,
‘Blurred Rings due to slight penetration'
"Refraction'
‘Effect of Refraction on the shape of a ring'
Contains bundles of notes and calculations,
Typescript draft with ms. corrections of paper submitte
Thomson fo the Faraday Society, October 1936,
does not appear to have been published.
See
records of the research on which the paper was
referees' comments on the paper.
Envelope labelled 'Calculations on Electron Diffraction
(Theoretical)'.
all undated, some with titles as follows:
‘Effect of refractive index on inclined film!
Bundles of undated notes and calculations with various titles
as follows:
‘To find conditions under which two planes of same group
of a single crystal can simultaneously give spots’
‘Resolving Power'
‘Cube face orientation'
‘Ring pattern treated as due to Cross Grating!
‘So-called Surface lines'
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
C.41 ( r
on { i e)
Electron diffraction
'Otty's expts. on Thin Films' (notes not in Thomson's
hand,
I
7
'Note on the diffraction of electrons by diomonds'.
Typescript, possibly not by Thomson.
Miscellaneous bundles of undated notes,
mainly on various aspects of electron diffraction.
calculations,
f
etc.
,
2 bundles of undated calculations, one containing letters
from L.C. Martin re ultraviolet filters, 1935.
Folder also contains 3 pp. typescript on 'Measurement of
Electronic Current in the Beam of an Electron Diffraction
Camera', no author or date.
3 typescripts by students and colleagues of Thomson, as
follows:
"Report upon a method of preparing cadmium iodide
films for obtaining diffraction patterns by transmission’,
by R. Beeching, 20 March 1934.
i
i
Pp
re
1955-56.
Ms. notes and
printed matter re electron diffraction,
‘Report on the examination of evaporated films of
aluminium, chromium and copper', by R. Beeching, n.d.
'The crystal structure of protective films deposited on
magnesium and magnesium alloys by the R,A.E. dichromate
process', by H.G. Hopkins.
f
SECTION D = NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND THE SECOND WORLD WAR_D.1 - D.78
The material is divided into two sections, each with an intro-
ductory note.
Del
“= p28
Nuclear physics and the MAUD Committee
D.29 - D.78
Second World War: other activities
NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND THE MAUD COMMITTEE
According to Thomson's autobiography (A.7) his interest in nuclear
physics stemmed from the arrival of P.B. Moon at Imperial College in ‘about 1932',
Moon introduced the study of neutrons to the laboratory soon after their discovery by
Chadwick, and Thomson's early work on this subject is documented at D.1 ~ D.4;
on his return fo Imperial College in 1938 after two years of illness he collaborated
with Moon in attempts to measure slow-neutron velocity distributions and absorption
coefficients (see D.5, D.6).
e
f
g
g
9g
©&xp
:
p
y
obtained using
natural uranium
the military implications of this.
oxide and ordinary water or paraffin,
to establish that a chain reaction could not be easily
He asked Air Marshal Sir Wilfred Freeman for a
In the spring of 1939 work on nuclear fission in various parts of the
ton of uranium oxide for conducting experiments at Imperial College and proceeded
world suggested that the release of an enormous amount of energy from uranium by
means of a chain reaction might be a real possibility.
Thomson was quick to realise
as copies of the MAUD Committee reports of July 1940, various notes of meetings and
The work was interrupted when Thomson went to Farnborough on the
outbreak of the Second World War (see D.30 - D.34), but his interest in the problem
was reawakened in early 1940 by the claim of ©. Frisch and R. Peierls that the chain
reaction could be obtained by using pure U235_
The following papers contain some of Thomson's early research notes
on experiments with neutrons and one folder of calculations re uranium (D.8) as well
MAUD Committee which had its first meeting
This led fo the formation of the
in April 1940 (see D.10).
k
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as
.
TOA
°
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Nuclear physics and the Second World War
some correspondence, both contemporary and later,
Other material on the MAUD
Committee is held at Churchill College, Cambridge, where Thomson deposited
a small collection of papers at the request of Sir John Cockcroft in 1966.
Permission to consult these should be obtained from The Archivist, Churchil!
Cambridge.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Nuclear physics s and the $ Second World War
Neutron research at Imperial College, 1934-40.
Folder labelled 'Deuton Bombardment Expt. Oct./34 -
March/35'
Contains account of experiment and nofes on results.
from M.L. Oliphant, 9 March 1934, re proton yield from the
bombardment of heavy hydrogen with heavy hydrogen is tucked
into the back of the folder.
A letter
2 bundles of notes on experiments with neutron source.
are undated but one includes a letter from S, Ries:
1934, re possible supply of radon sources.
Both
20 November
Note pad containing records in various hands of experiments
with electron counters, 3 May=3 June 1935,
are continued in the notebook at D.4 below.
These experiments
Dark blue hard-cover notebook labelled on front cover
‘Experiments with Electron Counters.
1935', and on spine '1935 Positrons',
to
A few loose pages remain inside the front cover of the book.
Entries run from 4 June
none of the material is in Thomson's hand.
10 October 1935;
Prof. Thomson's Laboratory.
Not all
Notes on experiments 13 January-10 February 1938.
in Thomson's hand,
Red spring-back binder containing ms, and typescript records of
neutron velocity analyses, 20 September 1938-July 1939,
conducted by various members of Thomson's laboratory.
Folder labelled 'Letters to Nature on Uranium and Thorium’.
Contains exiracts from issues of Nature, 11 February-20 May
1939 and ms. notes (not in Thomson's hand) on current literature
relating to uranium fission, June 1939,
n.d.
A later note by Thomson on the front of the folder reads 'Most
of my papers on this subject are at Churchill College! ECambridge7.
Churchill College holds one box of papers relating to the mle
Committee which Thomson deposited at the request of Sir John
Cockcroft in 1966.
from The Archivist,
Folder labelled 'Uranium Calculations', containing miscellaneous
bundles of calculations, mainly in Thomson's hand.
None are
dated, but some relate to a letter from Thomson to R. Peierls,
13 August 1940, a copy of which is included in the folder.
Also included is a letter from J.L. Michiels, 12 January 1940.
Folder containing set of calculotions headed '
2
tomb in pore ntiatiy
}
fi
Permission to consult these should be obtained
Churchill College, Cambridae.
g&;
g
t
eres medium'.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Nuclear physics and the Second Wor Id War
D.10-D.28
Papers relating to the MAUD Committee
D.10
2 separate pages of ms. notes, made at different times,
summarising activities relating to the work of the MAUD
Committee:
a)
b)
10 April 1940 (first meeting) - 29 September 1941,
18 September 1941-8 June 1942 (als © mentions
purchase of uranium, 9 December [ 19392 a)
‘Report by M.A.U.D. Commiitee on the use of Uranium for
aBomb'.
13 pp. typescript with 2 Appendices, July 1941.
‘Report by M.A,U.D. Committee on the use of Uronium as a
source of power’.
4 pp. ii ape, July 1941
Various research papers (not by Thomson) as follows:
Evidence for a potentially divergent nuclear reaction
chain in a system, below the critical size, containing
Uand D',
NOs pice 1741,
Typescript by H. Halban and L. Kowarski.
‘Uranium bomb'.
cusses possibility of a uranium bomb.
Typescript, no author or date.
‘Preliminary report on work carried out in Liverpool’.
Typescript, no author or date.
‘Some notes on the Halifax Explosion’, by H.L. Bronson
(reprint).
'Ellis' experiments on the abs. levels of Ur.’.
by C.D. Ellis, 26 January 1940, with ms,
later by Thomson.
at Offices of C.O. Jelliff Coan, JUNG TF 1942",
h
'Notice of Meeting of S.1. held at Bureau of Standards,
Washington, February 13 1942'.
8 pp. typescript.
Report on 'Meeting Section S.1.
Washington, 16 January 1942',
Bureau of Standards,
10 pp. typescript.
‘Splitting of the uranium nucleus'.
no author or date.
c¢.1940.
Ms. and oe eu versions of report by Thomson on 'Meeting
Duplicated typescript,
Typescript
title added
Dis-
:
Laie
:
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Nuclear physics and the Second World War
Did7
Correspondence with E, V. Appleton, D.R. Pye and
H.1T. Tizard, October 1941-April 1942.
D.18-D.26
Correspondence with historians and colleagues re the
MAUD Committee, 1952-61.
a
In alphabetical order.
Butler: 2
R.
CAL
ee J
Feb. 1955
Aug. 1952
enclosing copy of the MAUD Report (see D.11)
Cia, BR.
WwW.
Correspondence in connection with his book
‘The Birth of the Bomb',
various queries, Thomson was asked to write a
preface to it.
See F.207 for Thomson's type~
script draft,
After answering
Oct. 1959-Dec. 1960
Cockcroft, J.
re telegram sent by Niels Bohr which led to
the naming of the ‘MAUD Committee.
Feb, 1960
Oct.-Nov. 1958
Pickthom, K.
Jan. 1959
Gowing, M.
M.
April-May 196]
Le Bourdais, D.
M.
re uranium.
8 January 1959,
re naming of the MAUD Committee.
Includes
a letter from O.R. Frisch, 3 November 1958,
Correspondence in connection with her book
‘Britain and Atomic Energy'.
Includes copies
of contemporary documents sent to Thomson for
information,
esearch im nediateiy after Sec
Miscellaneous newsp iper cultings assembied by Thomson
re the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan,
1945
Correspondence in connection with his bio-
graphy of Viscount Waverley.
f
1 p. ms. notes on nuclear fission.
fucked inside the folder at D.72.
Includes a letter from H.L. Ismay,
Folder also inc ludes a set of typescript nol
Neutrons resultina from fission!
Wheeler-Bennett, J.
Aug.-Oct. 1957
March 1960
Mgt Neo
5
This was found
ws
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{s
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
we SS
Nuclear physics and the > Second World War
D.29-D.78
SECOND WORLD WAR: OTHER ACTIVIT IES
At the beginning
g
g
of the Second World War Thomson went to work
at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.
His wife, Kathleen, and their
four children were sent to America for safety during the threat of invasion in the
summer of 1940, but in 1941 Kathleen became gravely ill and at his own request
Thomson was transferred to Ottawa as Scientific Liaison Officer in erder to be nearer
to her.
She died at the end of 1941 but Thomson continued to work in Canada f for
1941 }
a further six months, returning to England in the summer of 1942.
He then spent a
year as Deputy Chairman of the Radio Board and a further year as Scientific Adviser
to the Air Ministry, returning to take up his duties at Imperial College at the end of
1944,
The documentation for this period is sparse.
There is very little
in the way of correspondence,and less to illustrate Thomson's daily activ ities, with
the exception of the visits he made to various establishments in Canada and the L.SaAG
for which a series of ms. and typescript reports is to be found at D.35- D.59.
Or
5
3/ OV
I/
Nuclear physics and the Second World War
Aeronautical Research Committ ee
Letter of 3 June 1937 inviting Thomson to serve on the Main
Committee for 3 years until 31 March 1940.
Letrers of 14 October 1942 accepting Thomson's resignation
from the Stability and Control and Aerodynamics Sub-
Committees and assuming his resignation from the Fleet Air
Arm Research Sub-Committee and the High Altitude Sub-
Committee,
Folder also includes a copy of a report (not by Thomson)
submitted to the Committee, January 1938.
D.30-D.34
Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough
Thomson went to Farnborough the day
g
before war was
a
Y
Initially
he was attached to the Armaments
declared,
Department and his work included research into the possi-
bility of sweeping magnetic mines from the air (see D.31,
D.33).
Department.
Later he was transferred to the Aerodynamics
The few surviving papers for this period represent only a
very small part of Thomson's work during the first two years
of the war.
Letter from H.E. Wimperis, 9 June 1939, enquiring whether
Thomson would be willing fo ‘take part in the research
activities of Air Ministry Research Establishments in time
of war'.
Thomson's reply (affirmative) is also included
in the folder.
H.M, Stationery Office notebook labelled ‘Magnetic Mines
1939', containing diagrams, calculations, notes of results of
tests, etc.
the book.
aeroplanes are tucked into the front of the book.
‘Suggestion for making a channel safe f
Ms. and typescript drafts of 'Note on the limits of blackness
for small surfaces'.
Folder containing bundles of calculations, all undated, some
with titles as follows:
‘Pressure on ground due fo passage of an aeroplane 300!
overhead' (not in Thomson's hand).
"Hopkinson bar'
These run from both the front and the back of
p. notes and 2 letters re mine sweeping by
1
ete
ric mines
mac!
n.d.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5, for
/ 80
Nuclear physics and the Second World War
orandum sent to F.A.
Copy of mem
Lord Cherwell), 20 September
for a simple predictor for use with U.P. on ships', with
1940, headed ‘Suggestion
oe
Lindemann
(later
j
ad
See
~
}
'
:
\
-
)
Ie
1
4
~
j
.
©
vo
3 pp. of calculations,
are also included in the folder.
which were not sent to Lindemann,
- Thomson
C 75/5/80
;
Nuclear physics and the Second World War
D.35-D.65
Canada, September 1941-July 1942
After 2 years at Farnborough, Thomson went te Ottawa
as Scientific Liaison Officer between Britain and Canada,
Most of the following papers are accounts of meetings and
visits in Canada and U.S.A, but there is also some corres-
pondence,
See also D.14-D.16 for meetings in Washington and else-
where relating to the MAUD Committee.
‘Television Glider.
Dryden, Bureau of Standards’.
Notes of meeting
g
with Dr. H.L.
30 Sept. 1941
3 pp. ms.
A report by G.S. Levy and W.F. Campbell on 'Visit
to N.A.C.A, Langley Field, and the Bureau of
Standards, Washington', presumably sent to Thomson for
information, is also included in the folder.
‘Notes on visit to Toronto’.
GY,
10 Oct. 1941
2 pp. ms.
3 pp. duplicated typescript.
2 pp. duplicated typescript.
'Notes of meeting with Dr. Dellinger’.
23 Oct. 1941
2 pp. typescript.
3 pp. typescript.
'Notes on visits to Kingston and Montreal’,
18, 20 Oct. 1941
‘Notes on meeting of Microwave Committee held at
Carnegie Institute, Washington'.
2 pp. ms.
"Notes of meeting with Col, Patterson and Mr.
Musson’,
‘Visit to Bell Telephone Laboratory, New
York'.
24 Oct. 1941
4 Nov. 1941
8 Nov. 1941
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
D.42
Nuclear physics
and the Second World War
'Report of. visit to, Dr. Henderson and Dr. Johnstone
at Halifax',
1,
2 Dec. 1941
2 pp. typescript.
‘Report on a visit to Watertown Arsenal by Dr. Darwin
and Dr. Thomson’,
4 Dec. 1941
I
p. typescript.
'Notes on an interview with Air Vice-Marshal
McKean'.
13 Jan. 1942
1
p. typescript.
"Notes on meeting with Group Captain Crabbe, Jackson
Building, Ottawa’.
13 Jan, 1942
1
p. typescript.
‘Notes on interview with Colonei H.E. Taber’,
13 Jan. 1942
I
p. typescript.
'Notes of visit to University of Western Ontario, London,
Ontario!.
24 Jan. 1942
YI
P
quit
Y
(Mar. 1942)
|The second set is dated
2 pp. typescript + 2nd page of another draft of
the notes.
‘Report of visit to Wright Field, May 8th accompanied
by B.S. Shenstone of the British Air Commission’.
2 sets typescript notes on radar equipment headed 'Arm
Group' (1 p.) and 'Radio Branch! (2 pp.), presumably
relating to a visit or meeting.
26 March 1942,
5 pp. typescript
‘Visit to Universities at Winnipeg,
Saskatoon,
sd
Vancouver and the Observatory at Victoria’,
4 pp. duplicated typescript.
‘Meeting
Field,
Boyle, McKenzie, Burton, Pitt, Pressey, Rose,
1942
to discuss Pitt's Asdic'.
15 May
1
18-26 May 1942
8 May 1942
Edmonton
,
t
2 pp. ms.
y
GP e Tho mson
CSAC 75/5/80
Nuclear r physics ¢ S and the Se cond We orld War
'Work on heat transfer by Dr, Boe
Berkeley University’.
'
i 2lter and group at
28 May 1942
2 pp. typescript.
‘Report of discussions with Von Karman and Clark Millikan
at California Institute of Technology'.
29 May~2 June 1942
‘
2 pp. typescript.
D.54-D.56
3 undated reports: on work at
Technology, possibly relating
‘Rocket projects at California Institute of Technology’.
n.d.
2 pp. typescript.
‘Report on work in connection with A.S. rocket-propelled
projectiles at California Institute of Technology’.
ned.
2 pp. typescript.
"Rackets for take
Technology’.
off at California Institute of
2 pp. typescript.
visits
5 June 1942
20 July 1942
ds
3 pp. typescript.
2 pp. typescript.
2 pp. typescript.
'Visit to McGill’.
‘Report of visit to Moffett Field’.
"Notes on meeting at Toronto with Dr. Best and Dr. Solandt,
Professor Shenstone and myself present’.
described in D,35-D, 59,
Bundle of notes relating to various visits and meetings.
None of the material is dated with the exception of the
first page which is headed 'Parkins Lab. June 25 [1942 7
with Egerton!.
Small black notebook used by Thomson while he was in
Canada,
some persona!
Contents mainly scientific with
2 pp. ms. notes on de-icing of aircraft,
Includes notes taken during some of the
material,
Pc
eae
Aree TN
Oe
“¢
a >.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Nuclear physics and the Second World War
'Me
ce
Memorandum on Sc
ie
Eo
:
2 pp. typescript.
Miscellaneous undated notes made in Canada,
Correspondence November 1941-June 1942.
The letters are in chronological order
mainly of Thomson's carbons, but all incoming letters
have been indexed.
and consist
See also D.17.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Nuclear physics and the Second World War
D.66-D.72
Radio Board.
September 1942~November 1943
D.66
Correspondence September-October 1942. — Includes
letters of appointment as Deputy Chairman of the Radio
Board and arrangements re salary, etc.
'Radio Board.
Additional note for the Chairman’.
Meeting to be held on 18 March 1943.
p. typescript suggesting that Thomson should become
]
Scientific Adviser to the Chairman.
Correspondence March-November 1943,
P
Thomson resigned from the Radio Board at the end of
October 1943 following his appointment as Scientific
Adviser to the Air Ministry.
Booklet on 'R.D.F. Principles and Circuits', issued by
the Air Ministry, October 1942.
lp. ms. note by Thomson re assymetrical telescope ts
clipped inside front cover.
'R.D.F.
Waves’.
December 1942.
Principles and Circuits.
Sequel to D.69, issued by Air Ministry
Chapter 9 - Centimetre
Small black ring~binder containing a typescript survey
of British Radar Systems currently in use or under develop-
ment, April 1943, with a summary of projects under
discussion by the Radio Board.
the binder reads 'Property of Professor G.P. Thomson,
Deputy Chairman, Radio Board.
of London Mission, O.S.R.D.'
survey J.
the folder, has been transferred to D.27.
At the back of the binder cre 4 pp. ms. notes by Thomson
on radar,
Folder containing copies of ‘Material for the United States
Special Mission on Radar', prepared by the London Mission,
O.S.R.D.,
April 1943.
Tp.n
s. notes on nuclear fission, which was found inside
A label at the front of
With the compliments
{ihe producers of the
oy
GER: - ee n
CSA
75/5/80
Nuclear shysics and the Second Wor Id War
Nuclear
Be COMO ORLY NO.
physics a
D.73-D.76
Scientific Adviser. to the Air Ministry, Nover
December + 1944
D.73
Correspondence October-November 1943.
Includes an exchange with the Secretary of State for Air
(Sir Archibald Sinclair, later Lord Thurso) re conditions
of Thomson's appoiniment.
Copy of memorandum from Sir Robert Watson-Watt fo the
Secretary of
3 July 1944,
State,
Brief administrative correspondence October-November 1944
apparently re a visit to Belgium which is mentioned in
Thomson's autobiography (see
A.7): he was asked to
visit some of the operational research units attached to
the Tactical Air Force in Belgium.
i
Folder also contains a typescript list of staff at No.100
Group, East Dereham, No fel
Brief correspondence November-December 1944,
Includes Thomson's letier of resignation in order to return
to Imperial College, and a request that he should continue
to represent the Air Ministry on the Joint Technical Warfare
Committee, pending the appointment of a successor.
Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Nuc lear r phy ysics| and the Second \ Vor Id 1 War
ko. ws A \pp slicatio yn Committee
Letter from E. V. Appleton, 3 January 1945, inviting
Thomson to serve on the Committee.
Minis stry ¢ of Supply. _Advisory | Counci |
on
Scientific
Resear che anc
Correspondence re Thomson's resignation
September-October 1945.
from the Council,
Copy of ‘Report on a tour in Germany by Lt. General
J.F. Evetts', presumaily sent to Thora for information.
Receipts for Advisory Council reports returned by Thomson,
March and October 1945.
G ° P ;
7 homson
(CA
eI Wwf o/
eee ary
OU
IY
SECTION E
THERMONUCLEAR RESEARCH
The material is divided as follows:
Notes, drafts and calculations, 1946-59
Patent applications relating to thermonuclear energy, 1946-59
Correspondence and papers, 1946-52
E.105
OBD42
Minutes of meetings, 1952-6
E.106-E.111
Correspondence, 1958-63
Research reports and lectures by others
E.1447 6.145
Miscellaneous other material
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Thermonuclear research
‘By the beginning of 1946,' wrote Thomson in his autobiography
(A.9) 'my own interest was turning to the possibility of the controlled emission of
nuclear power from the (relatively) heavy isotopes of hydrogen; what is now called
thermonuclear energy.‘
The initial work was done at Imperial College in collaboration
with M. Blackman with whom Thomson filed a provisional patent for ‘Improvements
in or relating to high temperature systems' in 1946 (see E.75).
By 1947 considerable
progress had been made in theoretical and small-scale experimental research, and
Thomson felt ready to initiate a full-scale project, requiring more extensive facilities
.
than Imperial College could provide.
Related research was already in progress at
the Atomic Energy Research Establishment (A.E.R.E.), Harwell, so Thomson approached
T.E. Allibone, Director of the newly-established Research Laboratory of Associated
Electrical Industries Limited (A,E.1.) at Aldermaston.
Some aspects of the ensuing
negotiations are documented in E.88 - E.90;
the Imperial College group finally
moved to Aidermaston in 1951 and a programme of research was started which led to
the production of the apparatus known as Sceptre III
in autumn 1957.
The Aldermaston
be found at E.91 - E.105.
Most of the thermonuclear work ceased to be secret after the simul-
a similar apparatus produced by Harwell.
Thomson subsequently became less directly
group worked in close cooperation with Harwell throughout its existence;
several
involved with thermonuclear research and his active participation finally ceased in
minutes of progress meetings, at which Thomson was also in regular attendance, are fo
taneous publication in January 1958 of accounts of the work with Sceptre If and Zeta,
See F.150 - F.209 for further material on thermonuclear energy. g)
(E.1 - E.70) is particularly interesting in view of the secrecy restrictions which allowed
produced for limited circulation as Harwell research reports (see, e.g., E.34, E.35).
him to publish so little (but see F.114, F.115), although some of his drafts were re-
1963 when A.E.1. decided to close down the Aldermaston Laboratory.
The survival of Thomson's research notes and drafis for this period
G,F. Thomson
CSAC 75 5/80
Thermonuclear research
Notes, drafts and calculations, 1946-59
Much of this material is undated and it has not been
possible to assign papers to specific periods with any con-
fidence, particularly as many of the folders appear to contain
material extending over s several
of the notebooks at E,50 - E.40.
This is especially true
years.
4 pp. ms. notes on 'Electrodeless Discharge’.
n.d.
Folder also includes miscellaneous notes on the literature.
Typescript draft with ms. additions on 'Atomic Energy from
Deuterium', n.d., ¢.January 1947 (see below).
2 copies, both annotated,
Energy from Boeads or
is annotated ‘Written for meeting at Harwell 15.1.47.
of duplicated typescript of 'Atomic
One copy
GPT’.
hich E.2 is a draft.
See also ms. note by Thomson at E.88.
pring
Spring-back binder Iabelled 'Toroid 1947'.
of notes and calculations (not all in Thomson's hand), some
with titles as follows:
Contains bundles
t
t
VY
‘Correct treatmeni'
Early calculations',
‘Space charge effects'
‘Distribution over cross-section’
‘Equilibrium when no nuclear action occurs'
‘Behaviour of positives in the magnetic field!
Spring-back binder labelled 'Toroid.
containing ms. notes and calculations, n.d.
mMonrnemann | type
Spring-back binder labelled 'Toroid' containing various
notes and calculations, n.d.
Spring~back binder containing 'Calculations relating to Torus
Spring-back binder containing 4 pp. ms. calculations, n.d.
Sporina-back binder containir
pring=bacKk pinaet containing ms. nofes ond caicuiations, n.d.
notes andc a
lati
without disintegration , n.d.
‘Small Torus'.
‘Large Torus.
.
.
eo I yb ML
r
ae memann
AMMAN
ce
ect He
Oma
ayn hrotron and (fF.
Notes’.
tc
!
ne
oyn NTOTOM
<1
:
.
i< bindei
L~l
AGC
ns.
.
|
~P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Thermonuclear research
Duplicated typescript 'Note on the
but with ms. annotation by Thomson 'Sent to Bunneman
Feb. 27 1948'.
Torus Project’, n.d.,
See also Thomson's ms. note at E.88.
Bult
Duplicated typescript on ‘Effect of charge-exchange from
gas molecules entering the torus', 3 June 1949,
E.12-E.14
Contents of a folder labelled '"Thermo-Nuclear Reactions"
Jan. 1950 (in this form).'
45 pp. typescript headed ‘Thermonuclear viet
January 1950. = This is contained in the original folder,
Various appendices to the typescript,
Pt,
¥}
f
as follows:
"Symbols used in "Thermonuclear Reactions"',
typescript versions.
Ms. and
‘Accumulation of Waste Products’.
with 3 figures.
See also E.15.
5 pp. typescript
&
‘Drift of Electrons’.
2 pp. typescript.
2 pp. ms.
Bundles of later ms. notes and calculations, some
as follows:
‘Calculation of time taken for electron to be forced
to wall of forus'.
1p. ms.
'"Thermonuclear reactions". Method of calculating
the work to supp port the current.’
2 pp. ms.
‘Bennet relation applied to "Thermonuclear Reactions"
1950 and criticism of energy demand.'
©
Spare copy of ‘Thermonuclear Reactions'.
script with appendix on 'Accumulation of Waste Products’.
The folder in which it
is contained has a note on the front
cover 'This was the first complete statement of my elementary
theory but most of the points were studied separately in the
course of 1946-49,
16 pp. typescript on '"Wirbelrohr" Oscillations.
to a ms. note by Thomson elsewhere in the collectio
this paper was sbaittad | for publication in Proc.Ph ays. Soc.
July 1950.
It was accepted in October 1950, but permission
to publish was withd aw, and
a stencilled research report by Harwell, January 1951,
it wds Cve ntually C irc uli ted as
Foider includes brief letter from the Ministry of Supply,
Carbon of type-
G.P.T. 1966'.
Can
2866 also E o a, .
?
S
-r
kero,
‘
June
TOR
7
Jit
4?
GS;
3.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Thermonuclear research
Folder fabelled 'Wirbelrohr Calculations'.
undated ms.
notes and calculations (not all
hand), some with headings as follows:
Bundles of
in Thomson's
"Sudden breakdown of toroid!
‘Betatron condition with large currenis'
'The input of power to a secondary circuit whose
resistance suddenly breaks down'
‘The effect of an iron-core in prolon
ging the discharge’
‘Velocity of electrons’
"Magnet design'
"Current as betatron'
See also E.16.
Folder labelled '4th Report.
Imperial College.
December 1950'.
Contains:
Air Cored Betatron work at
Typescript of the resort, by R. Latham and M.J. Pentz.
Duplicated typescript version, circulated as A.E.R.E.
Harwell report no. XM/68 under the title 'High
currents in gaseous discharges', December 1950,
1951',
h
on
Various background notes.
2 pp. ms. ‘First Report on Air-Cored Betatron', 21
September 1949,
‘Estimate of neutron yield from torus under threshold conditions’.
6 pp. typescript with ms. annotations, June 1951.
2 copies.
Spring-back binder containing ‘Papers relating to work wit
Hemming on excitation of gas discharge by synchrotron act
with travelling wave,
Ms. notes, diagrams and
drafts, not all in Thomson's hand,
from A.A.Ware, 12 March 1952.
Spring-back binder containing 'Calculations for yield of Tori
of different sizes',
Some of these are related to Thomson's
paper ‘Estimate of neutron yield from torus under threshold
conditions’ (see E.20) copies of which (ms. and typescript
drafts) are included in the binder,
There is also a letter
See also E.21.
>.P.
e SAC
Lenn
»/ 5/80
Thermonuclear researc h
Contents of folder
w constant, vas Part
Hl,
has been preserved at E,28,
I,
labelled 'General theory of torus with
Til'.
The original folder
See also E.29.
‘Theory of Torus with concentrated discharge assuming
constant "tyrewise" velocity.
Part I'.
Undated ms. draft.
'Theory of Torus assuming constant "tyrewise" velocity.
Part Il".
ndated ms. draft.
2 copies (not identical) of typescript version of E.24, dated
November 1950.
‘Ill.
Power required to run a discharge in a Torus’.
Undated ms. draft
3 sets of background notes and a graph.
left in the original folder,
The notes are headed as follows:
These have been
Typescript of E.26, dated January 1952.
‘Fundamental formulae assuming w is constant!
‘Derivation of "z" equation of transfer in cylindrical
coords ,'
‘Appendix: Equation of transfer in cylindrical polars with
circular symmetry’
theory of thermonuclear reactions.
Folder labelled 'Thermonuclear Work.
Thomson's papers', containing a set of ‘Mathematical
Appendices! in Thomson's hand.
when these were written or why, but they all relate to the
17 pp. ms. calculations, headed 'General Theory with constant
tyrewise velocity w'.
See also E.22-E.28.
Folder 1.
Professor
It
is not clear exactly
GC. s Th IomMson
CSA Cr 5/5/80
Thermonuclear research
Conference on 'The Physics of lonized Gases' held at
University College, ont don, 23-25 March 1953.
contains programme of the CaAtsience 1 p. ms. notes,
prover Uf
for Thomson's Opening Remarks, and several
pages of notes on papers delivered,
Folder
2 typescript drafts (not identical) of paper on 'The Pinch
Discharge in a Wholly lonised Gas',
Both are undated,
but one is annotated 'Corrected Copy October 1963’,
‘Addendum to "Pinch Discharge in a Wholly lonised Gas",
3 pp. ms.
Duplicated typescript of E.32 with ms. annotations, circulated
as A.E.R.E. Harwell report X/M 119, October 1953.
Folder includes 4 pp. ms. calculations which were tucked
inside the back cover of the report.
Undated ms.
lonised Gas',
draft of paper on 'Pinch Discharge in a Partially
Correspondence with A.A. Ware, November~December 1953,
with redraft of part of E.35,.
E.40
E.41-E.44
Typescript draft of E.35 with ms. corrections, December 1953.
Undated ms. draft headed ‘Loss of particles to the walls in
presence of crossed electric and magnetic fields’,
Folder labelled 'Miscellaneous Calculations and Resulis',
containing several bundles of papers all undated. One of
these includes a letter from W.B. Thompson, 23 April 1954.
Duplicated typescript of E.35, with ms. annotations, circulated
as A.E.R.E. Harwell report X/M 122, 17 December 1953,
Folder also includes a carbon copy of the final typescript.
I p. ms. notes on work by others in the same field,
Contents of folder labelled 'Miscellaneous calculations.
Torus'. Mainly ms. notes and drafts, some with headings, but
all undated. Thomson's ordering of the papers has been
retained, but they have been split up into smaller units, for
ase of reference.
‘Estimate of power required for a pinch'.
(See also E.45.)
‘Pinch in a highly tonised gas discharge’.
6 pp. ms.
‘
j
'
®
st
°
The original folder is at E.41.
4 pp. typescript.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Thermonuclear research
‘Power required to run discharge (with nuclear reaction)!
4 pp. ms.
1
‘Conductivity of ionised gas and rate of heating’.
Il
p. ms.
2 pp. calculations.
'
Power consumption’.
"4
2
i
‘Momentum and mass transfer in a gas of variable de
2 pp. ms.
‘Transfer of energy from electrons to nuclei
3 pp. ms.
‘Electron acted on by wave while in cros
magnetic fields'.
i
3pp. ms.
(noi all
8 pp. calculations.
"Loss of energy due to charge exchange during ionisation
stage'.
6 pp. ms.
‘Time constant for variations in V and T',
1p. ms.
Miscellaneous calculations.
Two copies (one annotated) of 1
of electrons and protons’.
p. typescript on ‘Recombination
4 pp. typescript, n.d.
E.45
E.46
E.47
E.48
E.49
"Note on Highly lonised Discharge’.
4 pp. typescript, n.d.
"Power loss in discharge’.
7 pp. ms. draft, n.d.
‘Estimate of power required fora pinch’.
There is another copy of this at E.41.
Ms. and typescript versions of a second draft of E.47, both
und ted,
Soft-cover notebook containing calculations re therm
work interspersed with other material such as notes for lectures
or publications, notes on articles, personal jottings, etc.
of this material probably spans a number of years.
notebooks have had most of their pages torn out (see E.56,
‘Detailed calculations for paper on the plasma shock waves’.
Ms. notes paginated from 10 - 18, n.d.
Most of these contain notes or calculations re thermonuclear
Miscellaneous undated notebooks.
Some
A few of the
E.50-E.60
ca.2
CSA c
Thomson
75/5/80
Thermonuclear research
Spiral bound notebook containing calculations re thermo-
nuclear work, notes on articles, personal jottings, etc.
Spiral bound notebook containing calculations re thermo-
nuclear work and a few miscellaneous notes.
Spiral bound notebook containing calculations re thermo-
nuclear work including Zeta and Sceptre, notes and drafts
for lectures and publications, miscellaneous jottings, etc.
Spiral bound notebook with rather miscellaneous contents
including draft for a speech on the site of the proposed Cambridge
University Club, ¢.1959, notes and calculations re Zeta and
Sceptre, and miscellaneous shorter personal notes.
Spiral bound notebook containing miscellaneous calculations,
notes for lectures, personal joftings, etc.
Spiral bound notebook with only 3 remaining pages containing
mathematical calculations and miscellaneous notes.
Spiral bound notebook with only one remaining page, con-
taining a calculation.
another hand is tucked inside the cover.
A loose sheet of calculations in
One end of the book begins with school notes on
Red notebook containing miscellaneous notes and calculations
re thermonuclear work, starting from both ends of the book.
Blue notebook with some pages missing containing miscellaneous
calculations, mainly re thermonuclear work.
Hard-cover notebook originally used by Thomson at school,
but mainly containing notes on various aspects of thermonuclear
research,
Trigonometry, and includes Thomson's school time table for the
summer term, 1909, and some loose pages of chemistry notes.
These are followed by much later notes and calculations, which
take up most of the rest of the book, starting from both ends,
and occasionally interleaved with other material,
Harwell report X/R 1831, January 1956.
‘Conditions for the Neutral Atom in a Pinched Discharge to be
confined to a sheathe',
corrections, n.d. (but see E. 63).
Miscellaneous bundles of undated calculations re thermonuclear
work,
Langevin Mobility .
Includes 2 sets on
12 pp. typescript draft with ms.
Duplicated typescript version of E.62 circulated as A.E.,
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Thermonuclear research
E.64, E.65
Contents of envelope labelled 'Calculations for D-D and
D~-T reactions and "Energy Balance" 1956.
Also rate of
accumulation of helium'.
into 2 folders for ease of reference.
The material has been separated
See also E.66.
Several bundles of calculations,
the original envelope.
from J. Moffatt, 14 September
1950.
These have been left in
Included among them is
a letter
Programme of a one-day conference on 'The production of
controlled thermonuclear energy', Harwell, 4 June 1956,
with 1
p. ms. notes taken during the conference. Thomson
gave a lecture entitled 'The nuclear physics of the problem!
and the folder includes correspondence with J.D. Lawson,
May 1956, re subject matter to be covered, slides, comparison
of data, etc.
6 pp. typescript, with ms. additions, on 'Energy Balance’,
dune 1956.
See also E.64, E.65.
A programme of the conference is
Ms. and typescript versions (not identical),
is dated 31 December 1957.
‘On the radial electric fie!d necessary for containment in a
"pinch" discharge’.
Conference on 'Controlled Thermonuclear Reactions', heid
at Berkeley, California, 20-23 February 1957.
Spiral bound notebook containing ms. notes taken by Thomson
during the conference.
tucked into the front of the notebook and there are some loose
pages of notes tucked inside the back cover.
as Probes', 22 June 19:
Motion of charged particles in electric and magnetic
fields of cylindrical symmetry, and its effect on an
axial current already existing.
2 ms. drafts, labelled A-and B, both dated 31 January 1958
and headed as follows:
Effect of nuclear reaction on a circuit outside the torus.
Be
“
oO pp. typescripi will
®,
ae
a
;
The typescript
a
Jse oF Alpha Rays
a
t
A
c
(A)
ms. Gaditions on
The
}dese.
ao
(B)
RO 59.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/ 5/80
E.71-E.87
Resi
Thermonuclear research
Patent applications relating to thermonuclear energy, 1946-59
2 pp. typescript containing preliminary specification with
drawings and calculations for toroidal wave guide, no title
or date, c.1946.
that a state of an ionized gas, (deuterium), has been set up
in which the gas is enclosed in a toroid, the electrons have
mean energies of the order of 100,000 e.v. anda certain
drift velocity round the toroid’,
The first sentence reads 'It
is assumed
Included with the typescript is
p. ms. headed 'Proposed
f
Experimental Model! containing a brief description of the
toroid, n.d.
ee
YI
1
°
°
e
°
i
.
'
‘Method of using the nuclear energy of the D-D reaction’,
Ms. and typescript versions, 2 pp. each, n.d., c.194
PPe
pp. typescript,
pr,
5
action of the toroid.
Typ
no author or date,
t
describing
g
the mode of
Draft provisional patent specification for "Improvements in or
relating to high temperature systems! by G.P. Thomson and
M. Blackman.
A note on the last page reads 'Based wholly on information
collected from Sir George Thorson at meeting of 26 March
1946,
See E.88 for an account
of the meeting, held at Imperial College.
9 pp. typescript with ms. annofations.
B.H. Russell 30.3.46',
A second copy, annotated in another hand, is also included
in the folder,
Provisional specification for U.K. patent application No.
13963/46 by Thomson and Blackman for ‘Improvements in or
relating to high temperature systems', filed 8 May 1946,
9 pp. typescript.
This specification was not published until 1959 (see E.85
Complete specification for U.K. patent application No.
13963/46 by Thomson and Blackman for ‘Improvements in or
relating to high temperature systems', filed 28 April 1947,
19 pp. duplicated typescript with 4 figures,
Folder includes brief related correspondence with the Ministry
of Supply and the Patent Office and 2 additional copies of the
provisional specification,
A second copy (not quite identical) is also included in the folder.
‘
.
ae
ou
ig
:
:
tie
el
;
'
Poe
G.P. Thomson
ake 75/5/80
Thermonu slear re esearch
Correspondence with Minis try of Supply re U.S. patent
application: 1947-49,
Folder includes copy of U.S. specification as filed,
28 April 1947, with notes of subsequent amendments,
The application was abandoned, March 1953.
Correspondence May-December 1951 re U.K. and U.S.
patent applications.
and October 1951.
Includes drafts of amendments, July
Correspondence January 1952,
for U.K. patent application No. 1034/52 by Thomson aaa
Blackman for ‘Improvements in or relating to High Temperature
Systems', filed 14 january 1952.
Includes provisional specification
3 copies of complete specification for patent application for
‘Improvements in or relating to High Temperature Systems
filed in U.K. and U.S. 14 Jonuar eres
This was not published until 1959 {see E.85).
Correspondence December 1952-May 1954, mainly re-U,S,
patent applications.
Includes minutes of a meeting held at Imperial
ao
to discuss the thermonuclear reactor
Folder also includes copy of declaration re assignment of
patent, November 1956,
2 copies of specification for U.S. patent. One is annotated
'1956.
the other is headed '1957 version’.
Pencil alterations show changes made for 1957 version’;
Correspondence May 1955- January 1956 re U.S. and U.K.
patents.
College, 19 May
patent position in Britain and America,
the relaxation of secrecy restrictions.
Correspondence March~November 1959 re patent applications
No. 13963/46 and 1034/52,
specifications as published in August and October 1959 after
Correspondence August 1957-September 1958 re U.K. and
U.S. patents.
Includes copies of complete
a > >
« Thomson
AC 7 5/5/80
Therm« onuc! lear _resear < h
Spring~back binder labelled ‘Papers on Patent for Extraction
of Power'.
Contains correspondence, 1958-62, with provisional and
complete sp« cifications for patent No. 15034/58 filed by
Thomson on 9 May 1959 (provisional specification filed
May 1958).
3.1.
A copy
1962, is also included in the folder.
of the complete specification as published,
py
F
.
I
fh
26 April
'
Contents of folder labeiled ‘1958.
of power'.
The original folder has been discarded,
MS relating
g
to extraction
Ms. and typescript drafi ag ‘Proposed method of deriving
electrical energy directh ly from
the "pinch" type', with bri of
a thermonuclear rea an of
dike
de
combiecilenes, April 1959 °
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/8( 0
Thermonuc ele ar research
E.88-E.90
Corres pondence and p apers, 1946-52.
ce
E.88
Notes of various meetings, 1946-49,
Folder includes:
‘Memorandum of Interview at Imperial College, 26 March
1946'.
Thomson.
1p. typescript with brief covering letter to
g
‘Agenda for Meeting on Thermo-Nuclear Reactions on
Jan. 15th, 1947'.
1p. typescript.
$
‘Note of a discussion on Tuesday, July 13, 1948, at
Shell Mex House, in connection with the assignment of
patent rights in Sir George Thomson's invention’
1
John Cockcroft.
p. typescript (2 copies) with covering letter from
2 pp. ms. notes on various meetings and discussions,
1947-49, made by Thomson at a later date.
Correspondence 1947-51.
Includes:
Copy of letter from Thomson to Lord Portal, 29 May 1947,
suggesting that A.E.1. should be invited to take over the
full-scale development of Thomson's thermonuclear research
project.
Letters from P.C. Thonemann (31 March 1950) and Lord
Cherwell (8 May 1950) arranging meetings to discuss
thermonuclear research,
Correspondence with Ministry of Supply, 1948 re assignment
of rights in Thomson's joint patent application with
M. Blackman (see E.71 ff.).
2 letters from Cockcroft, 29 December 1947 and 13 Januar y¥
1948, re arrangements a thermonuclear research work.
Letter from O. Bunemann, 6 February 1948.
e
Spring~back binder labelled 'Aldermaston Contract.
letters 1951-52',
T.E. Allibone and D.
copy of the first three monthly reports on 'Gaseous Discharges
Research at A.E.1. Research Laboratory’,
1951,
Letter from Thomson to Cockcroft,
1950, renewing proposal to transfer the thermonuclear
project at Imperial College to A.E.I.'s Research Laboratory
at Aldermaston.
8 November
Contains corre: spondence with A.A. Ware,
Fry (Thomson's carbons only), anda
Secret
16 August-16 November
G.P. Thomson
TI 1ermonuc le ar researe h
ROR ans Sen
mMmiinhures or mcerings,
C rnaatt
A.E.1.7A.E.R.E. Joint Progress Meetings, 1952-
Lacks meetings 1,
Bi};
:
2nd Meeting, 5 February 1952,
Agenda, Minutes, 1
p. ms. calculations.
Ath Meeting, 24 October 1952.
Agenda, miscellaneous ms. notes and calculations,
Meeting No.7, 19 October 1953,
Minutes.
Meeting No.8, 12 January 1954,
Minutes.
Meeting No.9, 29 April 1954,
Agenda, Minutes,
Meeting No.10, 23 July 1954.
Minutes.
Agenda.
Meeting No.13, 12 May 1955,
Agenda, Minutes,
Meeting No.12, 17 February 1955.
Meeting No. 14, 29 September 1955,
Minutes of visit by Thomson to the A,E.1, Research
Laboratory, 18 October 1954,
re work in pro
\genda (with ms. notes by Thomson), Minutes.
Meeting No.15, 9 January 1956,
Meeting No.16, 28 March 1956.
g
i
pt
Agenda, Minutes.
Agenda, Minutes.
' }
, Thoms on
> 75/5/80
The srmonuc lear research
Meeting No.20, 20 March 1957.
Minuies,
Meeting No.21, 7 November 1957.
Notice of meeting
uv
with Thomson's sms. notes on verso
f
Minutes.
Meeting No.22, 14 January 1958.
Minutes.
2 pp. typescript re
'A,E.1. Programme’, 28 January 1958.
4 pp. ms. notes re Sceptre 3 and Sceptre 4,
n.d. 1958.
Meeting No.23, 7 August 1958.
Notice of meeting (with Thomson's ms. notes on verso),
Minutes.
Meeting No.24, 5 November 1958.
Notice of meeting (annotated), 1
p. ms. notes, Minutes
wr
Meeting No.26, 11 May 1959
Minutes,
Notice of meeting, Agenda, Minutes.
Meeting No.25, 25 February 1959.
Meeting No.27, 28 September 1959.
Minutes,
A
Agenda, 2 pp. ms, notes, miscellaneous diagrams
29th Meeting, 29 February 1960.
3lst Meeting, 27 October 1960.
Minutes.
Minutes,
Minutes.
5
‘
‘
.
Agenda, Minutes.
28th Meeting, 11 January 1960
30th Meeting, 10 June 1960.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Thermonuclear research
32nd Meeting, 23 February 1961.
la.
oO
Ag
genda,
da, M
Minutes.
ne
Meeting
g
No.33, 12 June 1961.
1
Agenda, Minutes.
Meeting No.34, 12 October 1961.
Agenda, 8 pp. duplicated typescript re 'A.E. 1.
Plasma Research Programme', Minutes.
Meeting No.35, 15 March 1962.
Agenda, Minutes.
Meeting No.36, 10 July 1962.
Minutes.
Meeting No.37, 16 October 1962.
Agenda, Minutes.
Meeting No.38, 15 January 1963,
Minutes.
Minutes.
29 July 1957
(Ist meeting)
Agenda, Minutes.
Meeting No.40, 23 July 1963.
Meeting No.39, 24 Apri! 1963.
C.T.R. £ Controlled Thermonuclear Research J Advisory
Committee,
Minutes of meetings, 1957.
Agenda, Minutes and miscellaneous committee papers,
Meeting of C.T.R. Advisory Committee, 18 December 1958,
Folder includes:
Meeting of the C.T.R. Advisory Committee, 4 November 195
Agenda, Minutes and miscellaneous committee papers.
Letter from B.F.J. Schonland announcino reconstitution
Or 195/-GulberR. Advisory Committee,
26 November 1957
(2nd meeting)
A
wda.
Minutes and
mi
Hanen:
ittaa
g
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
E.106-E.111
Correspondence,
Thermonuc
In alphabetical order,
i
Allibone, T.
E.
Allibone's final letter, 4 March 1963,
announces the A.E. |. Company's decision to
close the laboratory at Aldermaston.
Chick -t.-
2R,
Hunk, So.
a
Enclosing reprint of paper by Hunt.
Pease, R.
5S.
2 ms. drafts of letters to Pease, one
incomplete.
Tayler, R.
J.
2 ms. drafts of letters to Tayler, with several
pages of calculations attached °
1958-63
1958--60
1960
Thompson, W.
B.
Ware, A.
A,
1958-60
Letter from Thomson.
Includes photocopy of a letter from D, Gabor,
28 January 1958, re 'Langmuir's Paradox' and
miscellaneous notes and calculations by Thomson
in response to letters or drafts from Ware,
- Thomson
CSAC 75/35 »/ 80
Thermonucl lear 5 esearch
E.112-E,143
Research reports and lec tures by” others
Most of these were sent to Thomson from the A.E. |.
Laboratory, Aldermaston, or A.E.R.E. Harwell for
faieiniiion orcomment.,
betical order of author.
They are arranged in alpha-
Many are undated.
A collection of reprints on thermonuclear energy is
included at E.143.
For research notes and drafts by Thomson see E.1 - E.70.
Allibone, T.
E,
Statement for Chairman of Associated Electrical
Industries Ltd.
at Associated Elecirical Industries Limited, Aidermaston,
typescript, 12 January 1958.
Progress in Thermonuclear Research
Folder also includes a similar typescript draft, no author
or date,
°
Allis, W.
P.
Bickerton, R.
J.
Hemmings, R.
Blackman, M.
‘Seminar on the Pinch Effect', duplicated typescript,
29 April 1952.
‘Scaling hours and the Stable Pinched Discharge’,
typescript, n.d.
‘Drift of Electrons at the core of the "Pinch", type=
seript,
feds
typescript, n.d., c.1959,
'Lyapunov-Type Stability Criteria in Plasma Physics
and Fluid Dynamics', ACE .1. Research Report,
December 1963.
‘Probe Measurements in a Ring Discharge’, typescript,
20 March 1952,
‘The Lev itron Experiment
pt
On bie
°C 1a tion ior Me
‘
ork
asma Physics Researcht Sub-Committee',
Se
aly
Pr
E
.
Herdan, R.
Manto
By
F.
«
An appre
cuplicatec
ar
oSA
« Thomson
ke 5/5/80
Ce
Ne
f
Thermonuclear re search
a
‘Sceptre', duplicated typescript, 1957.
Sturrock, P.
A,
'Non-linear effects in electron plasmas', typescript,
nds, but accompanied by letter from Sturrock to
Thomson,
p. ms. notes by
r
y
Thomson.
31 January 1955,
and 1
r
|
E.121-E.132 Thompson, W.
B.
Ez)
P
phenomenological theory of the constricted gas dis-
'A
charge at moderate currents', typescript A.E.R.E. Report,
May 1952.
g
'The Diffusion Theory of the Constricted Gas Discharge’
typescript (unsigned, probably by Thompson), October 1952.
9g
)
‘The theoretical characteristics of constricted discharges
in mercury and caesium vapour', typescript draft,
October 1952.
Folder also includes final version, distributed as an A.E.R.E
Report, December 1952
‘Gas Discharge Project', unsigned typescript, n.d.
‘The Scaling of the Constricted Gas Discharge', typescript
(unsigned, probably by Thompson), n.d.
‘An elementary theory of the Hall effect in a : discharge’,
undated bynes script and A.E.R.E. Report, February 1954,
‘Equilibrium Characteristics of a Pinched Gas Discharge
Cooled by Bremsstrahlung Radiation', unsigned typescript, n.d.
iectures, Nea.
‘Electron Beam as a Magnetic Probe', typescript with
1
p. ms. calculation, n.d.
‘Neutral Gas Pressure Effects 7 a Gas Discharge’,
typescript by Thompson and R.T.P.
Whipple, n.d.
'The
lonised Gas Discharge’, typescript by
Sy. Robert
Je.
\
NODCITS, NaGe
LA
An Introduction to Plasma Physics'.
"Pressure in a Gas Discharge',
typescript,
pt;
rey
>!
j
8 GUpliCcarea
i
oe mena or
n.d.
i.
Set
of
]
.
i
rere
5
i
\
e
ryt
f
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Thermonuc
ar research
A,
‘High Current Discharge Research, (Work done by S.W.
Cousins and A.A. Ware, March
typescript, n.d.
1949-March 1950)‘,
‘Relativistic Treatment of "Pinch" Forces' , typescript,
y
n.d.
r
‘Low peony Ring Discharge Giving Continuous
"Pinch" Forces', typescript, n.d.
Note on the Theory of the "Pinch" Effect',
‘The Radial Electric Field in
a High Current
and the Effect of the Discharge Tube Wall!
1 October 1952
‘Power Loss due to Current Zeros in a Toroidal Ring
Discharge - Suggested 50 cycle Ring Discharge’,
script, 6 January 1953,
type-
Wesson, J.
A.
E.140
iagl
Allen
‘The Effects of Stray Magnetic Fields on Plasma Containment’,
typescript, 17 May 1960.
Two typescripts with multiple authors:
‘Neutrons from Zeta', 1 p. typescript by R. Carruthers
and others, 6 September 1957,
‘Sceptre, a Stabilised High Current Toroidal Di des
producing High Temperatures’, typescript by N.L.
and others, 31 December 1957,
i? February 196:
‘Review of Fusion Research at A.E.I. and Future Programme
January 1960.
'A Proposed Tubular Pinch Experiment', May 1960.
‘Conduction of Heat through a Plane Slab', n.d.
'
7
A.E.1. Plasma Research for the
ssearch Programme fot
af
c
f
Five unsigned typescripts:
‘Sceptre 1',nid.
Bist Fata
1943' p
Oe Er
Inermonuc!ear research
Ten oe
rcl
ies
ee
eS
Miscellaneous diagrams,
gee
ah
Bundie of miscelianeous reprints re thermonuclear research,
t
eo?
3.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
‘
Thermonuclear research
E.144, E.145
Miscellaneous other material
E.144
E.145
Small ring~binder containing lists of articles read by
(or recommended to) Thomson, 1959-70.
|
Miscellaneous bundles of notes and calculations, all!
Shenae some with titles as follows:
‘Slowing down of Space Ship in Earth's Atmosphere’
‘Perihelion of projected particle'
‘Apparatus for Measuring the Volume of a
‘Pumping through Tube'
'The Age of the Elements and the Age of the Crust!
(typescript,
ee not by Thomson)
‘lonisation on Balloon Flig
beet
tito
}
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
SECTION F
SCIENTIFIC LECTURES AND WRITINGS F.1 - F.209
r,s ft .o8
University lectures (at Cambridge, Aberdeen, and
Imperial College London)
F.34-F.149
Physics
F.150 - F.209
Nuclear and Thermonuclear Energy
The material in each of the sub- ~sections is presented In approximate
chronological order, though Thomson rarely dated his early notes and drafts;
cases they can only be roughly dated on internal evidence.
especially those given at Aberdeen, were often cannibalised and updated for use at
Imperial College, London, and no firm boundary can be drawn except for the post~
Second World War lectures at London on cosmic rays and nuclear physics.
> 'University
in many
Lectures'
The lectures and writings on 'Physics', F.34 - F.149, naturally
focus on Thomson's own research interests and discoveries. F.36~ F.61 are almost
all on electron diffraction, his own experimental research (for which he shared with
C.J. Davisson the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1937) and the wave=particle theory of
matter; the number of these, and the range of places at which Thomson was asked fo
speak, show the international recognition of his work.
deal with the practical applications of electron diffraction, and the electron micro~
scope, as tools of research.
Several items, F.66
(F.188 et seq.
After the Second World War, Thomson continued to write and
lecture on the electron, and also on cosmic rays, mesons, and atomic structure,
The advent of nuclear, and later of thermonuclear power, however, provided the
chief matter of his scientific research and publications,
crowded cluster of items ~ including several broadcasts - on the nature and conito!
of nuclear energy, followed by a similar output at F.169 - F.174 on the then new
implications of the hydrogen bomb.
These problems continue to recur throughout!
the remainder of the material, some linked with the opening of atomic power stations
F.120~-F.168 area
G.P. Thomsen
CSAC 75/5/80
Scientific lectures and writi
Thomson himself made a distinguished contribution to research on
nuclear fusion from the early 1940s, and played a part in the development of thermo-
nuclear research ai Harwell and A.E.I.
Most of his work was not released for
publication, but the
public announcement of Zeta in
1958
led to many lectures and
articles by him, some technical and some
(F.193 - F.205).
more popular, on thermonuclear questions
The moterial in this Section is only rarely accompar
material or by related correspondence -
Y
it should be consulted in con
t
notebooks and documents in Sections C and E,
Although several items naturally contain autobiographical
historical reflections by Thomson on his experience of twentieth~century physic
his explicit writings on the history of physics and physicists, and h
ideas on the methods, purpose and implications of science have been
cr
,
‘
Sections G and H respectively. Y
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5 Vf 80
Scientific lec tures and writings
University Lectur res
Lectures at Cambridge, T9922
Spring-back elder 4 nscribed 'Rigid Dynamics.
Corpus Christi
G.P. Thomson.
Contains ms. notes for a course of thirteen lecture 2s,
1-20, followed by several unnumbered pages of exan eniples’
|
paginated
Spring-back folder, with ms. notes for fourteen lectures,
many on verso of examination scripts.
page is
inscribed 'Easter Term 1922,
Hydrostatics Revision’.
Electricity Optics and
The first
Lectures at Aberdeen (1922-30)
See also F.24,
Spring-back notebook, ins
and Magnetism.
Lectures
!
scribed on first
Lectures are numbered 1-10, but material continues on various
topics in the subject.
page ‘Natural Philosophy
pny
pag
Folder of notes, inscribed on first
Ordinary Class".
Folder of notes inscribed on first page 'Senior Honours Class.
Electricity.
Oct. 1923',
Folder of loose notes inscribed on first page 'Geometrical
Optics'.
Some notes on ‘Magnetism and Electrici ty' are
also included in the folder, as is a
list in Thomson's hand
of those attending.
ee
University of Aberdeen candidate's examination book,
notes inscribed 'General Dynamics of Multiply Periodic Systems'.
Folder of loose notes for ‘Senior Honours', on various topics,
with a
obtained in 'Mechanics' and 'Heat',
list in Thomson's hand of those attending ond marks
Ditto, inscribed 'Nofes on Crystal Lattices and Space Groups',
inscribed 'Laws of Motion’,
ry
, WHA some loose ;
- DIOGIIG
i
saat
! bese
>
*
T
'
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5, KR /ON
OV
Scientific lectures and wr ‘itings
Folder of loose notes, inscribed on first page ‘Mathematics
for Students in Physics',
continues on similar topics.
Paginated 1-26, but material
Folder of notes for a course of eight lectures on
wave properties’.
UY gin
'General
Several of these contain revisions and insertions and may
also have been used at Imperial Coll
Undated lecture on 'Kinetic Theory', paginated 21-25,
perhaps once part of a longer sequence (paper similar to ,
that in F.3).
Undated lecture on
:
c Constant
Undated lecture on 'Atom Structure’
Undated lecture on ‘Polarisation of Electrons’.
Folder of extensive loose notes on 'Dynamics', with many
cae for later use eat Imperial
revisions and insertions,
College.
Thomson
Folder of loose notes on ne Science of Moving Bodies',
with 1
preliminary information for students (at
Aberdeen),
p. note of
oP
i
p
\
Very few of these can be accurately dated.
Lectures at Imperial College, London (1930-52)
probably used revised versions of his earlier lectures at
Aberdeen (see F.13, F.18 above), and continued to update
the material by intercalating notes or printed matter which
sometimes provide a terminus ad quem.
f
Green spring-back notebook of eleven lectures on 'Heat for
Engineers’,
Spring-back folder inscribed ‘Elasticity’.
paginated 1-16(a)
‘Optical experiments with electrons’.
Includes some related printed matter
‘Imperial College.
Electron Waves’,
Notes for lectur
'
t
«
5
pi
Oct.6.
:
t
°
!
‘
'
ie
Saas
G.P. Thomson
CSAC ia 5/ /B0
Scie ntific lect ures and wr itings
Spring-back folder inscribed ‘lonic Physics‘.
che
/
Notes begin in 1930s and are updated into 1940s and
include note of sections of course which Thomson delegated
to colleagues Cochrane and Barford.
"Introductory Lecture to Modern Physics’.
Early notes with later additions interleaved.
Y
'Relativity Mechanics’.
Early notes with later additions.
Folder of notes on various topics in physics, with various
revisions and additions on nuclear physics and cosmic rays.
Includes a letter and data from F.A. Paneth, 1947.
Spring~back folder inscribed 'Harmonic Motion’.
Early notes with some later additions (latest
Spring-back folder inscribed 'Wave Motion’.
Notes for a course of eleven lectures;
printed matter, 1949,
includes related
of
Spring-back folder inscribed ‘Discarded pages from Wave
Mojion lectures’.
.
Spring-back folder inscribed 'Atomic Physics Part II',
notes for lectures on atomic and nuclear physics.
Spring-back folder inscribed 'Work at Imperial College on
Cosmic Rays’,
Includes a note headed 'Garton's Lectures’ (W.R.S.
rton,
FRS) on topics already dealt with in students' courses, a
and 1951.
elementary particles.
Includes notes for lectures by Thomson at Imperial Coll
and elsewhere, his notes on the literature, etc.
$951:).
gece:
Thomson's notes on work by Blackett, Heitler and others on
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Scientific lectures and writings
Physics
"Modern Ideas about Atoms’.
13 pp. ms. lecture, with introductory notes on verso of
last page; probably for Inaugural Lecture at Aberdeen,
P.10 of ms. refers to a suggestion ‘recently’ by Rutherford
that a new particle should be named 'proton' (suggestion made
in Rutherford's speech to British Association, September 1920).
‘Electron Optics'.
n.d.
Notes for 'British Association Discussion’.
Ms. notes in which Thomson describes his classic electron
diffraction experiment.
'
g
n.d. but probably for meeting at Glasgow,
at which de Broglie and Davisson were also
September
1928,
present
(see Moon, Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal
Society, 23, 1977, p.538).
Includes press~cuttings of Davisson's and Thomson's
contributions, and of a note by Thomson 'The Disintegration
of Radium E from the Point of View of Wave Mechanies'
(Nature, 121, 615-6).
p
n.d., 1927-28.
"Waves or Particles'.
‘Waves and particles’.
2 pp. ms. talk, c.1928.
'New Discoveries about Electrons’,
7 pp. typescript proof of article for publication in a French
journal,
9 pp. ms. talk for radio with sections marked 'to be omiited
for publication in the "Listener"'.
6 pp. typescript.
ned., probably 1929 (death of A. Reid mentioned ‘in July
last year' [1928 3).
Talk or lecture given 13 August 1929, place unidentified.
‘Diffraction of Electrons.
Feb.8/29',
'
"Naw Discoveries about Electrons ®
Lecture at University College
3 pp. ms. notes,
‘
°
$e
'
4
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Scientific lectures and writings
Th
wo lectures on mechanics.
Undated, but
|
‘Fundamental Ideas of Mechanics',
App. ms.
'New Mechanics’.
2 pp. ms.
F.44, F.45
Two lectures given at Manchester. n.d.,
Ee 44
‘The new mechanics'.
2 pp. ms.
Untitled notes for lecture on electron, headed 'Lecture
Nov. 30 Manchester’,
Two lectures on relativity.
No date or place.
‘The limitations of relativity’.
3 pp. ms.
3 pp. ms.
Lectures in America,
uncertainty in physics.
Lecture on 'Relativity considerations', headed 'Lecture 4',
‘Electron Diffraction. Univ. of New York Lecture 1',
Thomson visited America September 1929~Spring 1930.
Almost all on wave/particle atomic theory, electron,
2 pp. ms.
4 pp. ms.
2 pp. ms.
2 pp. ms.
"New York Chemical Societ ves
‘Lecture at Rochester’.
‘Franklin Institute’,
.
Scientific lectures and writings
eere
he's
’
'
"Smith C
2 pp. ms.
‘Columbus’.
Notes for four lectures,
9 pp. ms.
With a letter of thanks from the Secretary, American
Chemical Society,
Columbus Section
Yr
Notes for a series of four lectures, no indication of place
15 pp. ms.
Shorter sequences of notes for lectures:
"Homopolar Bonds'
‘Electron Diffraction.
2 lectures'
—
I
p. ms.
I
4 pp. ms.
Lectures in India
Lectures in Canada
‘Electron Diffraction Bombay’,
‘Schenectady! (on wave/partidje theory).
p. notes for similar lecture at McGill University.
2 pp. ms. notes,
Lecture on the history and teaching of science, given to
"Rotary Lahore’,
‘Electron diffraction
Lahore’.
2 pp. ms.
]
p. ms.
i?
Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Scientific lectures and writings
Foc
Shorter notes for lectures on electron diffraction and wave/
particle theories,
None daied, ¢.1930-32,
Given at Sir John Cass College (London), Alembi
Amsterdam, Birkbeck College andy British
Leeds,
9g
°
£
ASS
Lecture on 'Modern Physics’.
nN. fol”
5 Pp - ms.
'The Waves of an Electron’.
Ms. and ty
YP
possibly 1
928,
escript draft for illustrated lecture,
Shorter notes for talks or lectures on electron diffraction, n.d.
‘Optical Experiments with Electrons’.
3 pp. ms. notes 'extracted from a lecture to the
Optical Society’,
The formal lecture was published in Trans. Opt.Soc.,
32, 1930.
Book Reviews.
Fraser: 'Molecular Rays‘.
Book Review.
Substances’,
For The Electrician, typescript, 1931.
For Journal of Scientific Instruments, proof,
Randall: 'Diffraction of X rays and electrons’.
Rutherford, Chadwick and Ellis: 'Radiations from Radioactive
1934.
Ms. draft, and corrected typescript versions of paper
published in Phil.Mag., 17, 1934.
Typescript and ms. draft of paper p
18,
‘Experiments on the polarisation of electrons’.
Pp
I
For the Physical Society, typescript, 1934,
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
F.68-F.70
Scientific lectures and writings
Book reviews.
zi
Meyer:
'The Diffraction of Light, X-rays and Material
Particles’,
de Boer:
‘Electron Emission and Adsorption Phenomena',
Both for Proc.Phys.Soc., 1935.
1
PI
'Applications of Electron Diffraction’.
Lectures given at the Royal Institution, January~February
tYS0.
Ms. notes for four lectures.
Ms. notes,
diagrams,
oo
f
f
etc. related to lectures,
'Electron Diffraction as a Method of Research',
version of leciures, prepared for publication in Nature,
30 March 1935, with brief editorial correspondence and
reprint of article as published.
Summarised
‘Absorption Coefficients’.
Book reviews.
Laporte:
dons les Gaz',
Von Lave:
strahlen',
Grimsehl:
'Physics of the Atom',
'Die Interferenzen von Réntgen-und Elektronen-
'Phénoménes Elémentaires de la Décharge Eléctrique
9 pp. typescript, n.d,
Perhaps a report submitted to Thomson and not by him.
2 pp. ms. notes for talk or lecture, n.d.
All for Proc. Phys.Soc., 1936
de Broglie:
'Matter and Light, the New Physics'.
n.d.
‘Positive Electrons’,
3.P. Thomsor
CSAC 75/5/80
Scientific le sctures and writings
‘Electron Waves as a Tool of Research’,
16 pp. ms. draft for illustrated lecture.
Includes 2 pp. ms. notes on subject, and related
offprint, n.d., c.1936.
'The Electron in Research',
Ms. craft, and corrected typescript versions of illustrated
IL
talk (refers to work at Imperial College), n.d., ¢.1936
Petree
bs ue
j
'The electron microscope’.
6 pp. ms. and typescript, n.d., ¢.1937.
'The Electron a
17 pp. typescript
with ms. corrections, and a photograph.
An extended version of F.76, for publication in Endeavour, 8.
Includes galley proof
f
:
ed article.
"Electronic waves’.
Pp
YE
7
anda
of
“a
'La diffraction des Electrons’.
Nobel lecture, delivered at
Stockholm, 7 June 1938.
1] pp. typescript with ms. corr
See A. 26 for related correspondence.
Another version, with additional ms. material,
lp. introductory page headed 'National Academy
Sciences’,
Thomson was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics
in 1937 but was unable to attend the ceremon ny that year
because of ill health,
See J.106 for related co
2 typescript versions of lecture in English, one with a
note 'Paris Nov. 1938'.
‘The velocity distribution of therma! neutrons’.
I ms. and 2 typesc ript versions of lecture in French.
2 pp.» typescript draft
in Nature, 142,
of collaborative paper published
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Scientific lectures and writings
Shorter notes for lectures,on ‘refractive index', and on
‘Analysis of surface layers',
n.d.
‘Electron Diffraction’.
The May Lecture, delivered to the Institute of Metals,
19 May 1943.
11 pp. typescript with ms. corrections, and
Tp. 'Summary'.
Proof of lecture and diagrams for publication.
1
F
ms. notes for lecture on wave/particle theory, headed
Pe
Aberdeen.
Dec. 29
1 747".
'The Growth of Crystals’.
The thirty-second Guthrie Lecture, delivered 4 June 1948
and published in
Proc »Phys.Soc.
‘
Ms. and typescript 'Notes for Guthrie lecture', drafi text,
ms. additions for insertion, galley proofs of text for publication.
Four sequences of notes by Thomson on crystal growth fone
dated March 1938).
Y
uv
/
\
1
‘High energy electrons’.
nod., perhaps not by Thomson.
7 pp. typescript paper on production and uses of high
energy particles,
Five sequences of notes and data, by Thomson and others,
related to lecture.
Sequence of nofes on crystal growth, not in Thomson's hand
but lent by him to R. Furth ond returned with letter of thanks.
/
Heavily corrected first proof, 16 pp.
|
é
Feb.10 1949',
‘The production of cosmic ray
pp. draft for talk on similar subject
stars' (Phil. Mag., 40,
eee ee
Poway
Art
with heading 'Dublin
tO
iia
13 pp. ms. draft.
Ms. notes and draft,
‘Origin of stars’,
1949).
/
h
|
“
'
.
ry
t
ee
}
a
,
wh Thomson
ee Bro, ‘5/80
Scientific lecture s and writing
Three bundles of ms, notes on sub ject.
n.d.
Shorter notes:
1
p. on topics in physics
p. notes for a talk on erystallogro
1
molecules
p. notes ‘Stockholm Dec. 1950' (perha
1
P rizewinners gathering)
ms. and typescript 'Conclusion' to work on electron
Book review.
De Broglie:
‘Interaction entre le noyau et son
cortége éléctronique’.
V
For Endeavour; ms. notes, typescript of review.
Two talks on 'Photographic Study of Cosmic Rays’.
2 pp. notes headed 'Aldermaston September 20 1950'.
1
p. notes headed 'Aberdeen March 1951'.
transcript of programme as
'The Study of Solid Surfaces'.
‘Electrons:
particles and waves’.
Talk for BBC 'Science Survey', May 1951.
9 pp. typescript draft;
broadcast.
16 pp. typescript with ms. corrections, dated July 1952,
with two loose pages of notes.
9
'The Second Law of Thermodynamics deduced from information
theory’.
ft
Extensive notes and calculations, some in ten bundles
kept by Thomson, others as loose pages.
Three ms. and type script drafts, all with extensive
Ms. draft, with ti
5 it
i
stated in terms of
|
Drafts, abstracts and notes, as follows:
Tl
le
c nformation Theory’.
'The Second Law of Thermodynamics
Letter
from
G. Beck with comments on the d:
“
°
G70
a
a
aa
Fi 102
is
rm, 10d
F.99-F.101
alterations.
F.98-F.103
F.98
'
o
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Scientific lectures and writings
13
rea vy ivieson .
hAaecnn!
The Poynting Lecture, delivered at the University of
Birmingham, July 1952.
a Ft
>)
Drafts, notes and background material, as follows:
et
ae
lh
M
s. and typescript draft of lecture.
UN ck A AUR Ra a
eae ec
hie
FTA
Duplicated version for
F.106
F. 107
‘Mesons', ms. and typescript
heading 'Portugal'.
notes and drafts,
‘Capture of ; ye mesons by heavy nuclei', ms.
notes, with a heading 'Noft published’.
F.108,
F.109
Miscellaneous background material, reprints, conference
proceedings, notes by others on the subject.
F.110
p. ms. notes for a lecture a oo son’, with a note
1
"Nat. Sci. Club
Feb, 25 19
Miscellaneous background material on the subject
offprints, drafts and notes, including Atomic Scientist
Journal, September 1953, with annotations by Thomson.
i
9g
r
2 pp. ms. notes 'Rio de Janeiro’.
2 pp. ms. notes 'Montevideo Electron Diffraction’.
2 pp. typescript and 2 pp. ms. notes ‘Beirut,
Damascus, Baghdad',
Two lectures on Electron Diffraction given by Thomson
on his visit to the Middle East, 1955
Two lectures on Electron Diffraction given by Thomson on
his visit to South America, 1954.
5 pp. typescript, with brief editorial correspondence.
Article on current developments in physics research, for
The Financial Times,
2 pp. typescript and 1
Electron Diffraction’.
p. ms. notes ‘Damascus.
1957,
os R. Thomson
SAC r ge ¥
S/ /80
Scientific lectur
writings
Tl
i
1958.
Ty The Containment ¢
a
ie
Phil.Mag., 3,
Heavily corrected ms. draft,
12
Heavily corrected first proof, 16 pp. +
‘Rec. May 16 1958'.
Brief no
article in Phil,Mag., 1958,
with N.F. Mot r
This is based on one of Thomson's research papers
prepared for, or related to, work on thermonuclear power
at A.E.1./Harwell,
—
e.
For similar,
e
t
unpublished material,
©
t
|
see E.34, E.35.
owed
rs
4
i
t
Draft chapter on 'Light',
for proposed book on physics for
adults, which Thomson was asked to contribute to a series
published by Harper and Brothers.
op
2
Y
e
f
t
|
22 pp. typescript with ms. revisions.
Correspondence with J.R. Newman of Harpers, May-
December 1958,
t
,
7
article published
First ms. draft, 27 pp.
First typescript version, 18 pp.
‘Re-written' typescript version, 19 pp.
'The Principles of Physics',
Evening Post, 1959.
Biographical notes to accompany article, 3 pp. typeser
Correspondence with editors re correction and publication of
article, and later reprinting in 'Adventures of the Mind!
under title ‘What you should know about physics', 1958-61.
re slate d< COPPesp vondence,
The Fison Memorial L: ecture, delivered ai Guy's Hospital,
12 May 1959,
Correspondence re p hotograph for article, 1959, and re
French translation,
1960,
3 PP « typescript, using similar materia] fo above, with
‘Principles of Physics' :
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Scientific lectures and writings
i
Speech at annual dinner,
Institute of Physics,
3 pp. typescript with ms. corrections.
r
r
3 Ma
Y
1960.
Book review.
g
de Broglie: 'New Perspectives in Physics’
For Bulletin of Institute of Physics, 1962.
ye
Speech at Inaugural Dinner, Plasma Physics Grou Np ~ Wo
‘
3 pp. ms.
n.d., 6.1965,
"Matter and Radiation’.
Thomson's contribution to Aspects of Scientific Thought, 1900-0,
ed. H.R. Harré (O.U.P.).
Correspondence with publishers and editor re plans for book,
Thomson's contribution, photographs and illustrations, 1966-48.
Letters from colleagues with comments or advice, 1967.
F.132
F.134-F.138
Fess
‘Corrected proof", date-stamped May 1968,
Typescript with ms. corrections, 79 Pp.
Jubilee meeting of the Institute of Physics, 6-9 May 1968.
Thomson's plan, list of illustrations, ms. drafts, on loose
pages, and in spiral-bound notebook.
Proof copy, with publisher's and author's corrections, pages
numbered 71-150.
F5:196);
was to have been given by Sir Lawrence Bragg, who fell ill
shortly before the meeting. Thomson was asked on 23 April
to take his place, and his paper was subsequently published
in Physics Bulletin, 19, December 1968,
Correspondence re meeting.
includes ms. letter from Bragg,
written from his sick-bed and including 5 pp. draft notes for
speech (p.3 is missing and is included in Thomson's draft at
The first paper of the meeting, on 'The Atom Outwards',
G.P, Thomson
CSAC 7s 5/5/80
Contributions and information from colleagues, originally
sent to Bragg and passed
Includes
material from D.W. Sciama, M. Ryle, J.A. Ratcliffe,
some annotated by Thomson,
on by him to Thomsen.
Ms, and typescript versions of Thomson's paper.
Printed notice of meeting.
Offprint of article 'The structure of matter ~ the atom
outwards',
Bulletin.
based on the lecture and published in Physics
F.139-F.146 'The Electron'
Booklet published in ‘Understanding
United States Atomic Ene
or series by
poh R7 1,
Correspondence with editor and
invitation to write booklet, financial
ments, etc., permission to reproduce material, 1969-70.
agues,
and pie oonige arrange-
Includes
collea
cial
F.145
Ms. draft of book.
Ms, notes, photographs.
editor re proofs and artwork of article,
Typescript version, with many ms. corrections and additions,
Typescript draft, with ms. corrections, and including
reviewers’ comments and Thomson's answers.
Correspondence with
and including Thomson's answers to queries on captions,
December 1970- January 1971.
f
Correspondence with R.V. Jones (Editor, Notes and Records) re
paper,
Final proof of book, with covering letter, September 1972.
Galley proof, with a few corrections and additions
F.147-F.149 'An Unfortunate Experiment".
in
lypescripi and gatiey proot versions,
ee
a
:
Article published in Notes, and Records of t
Ms. draft, ana ms. notes tor paper,
e Royal Society,
F.146
é
'
wf
é
eo
}
6
roth
dr
,
0
fake
ne
r
ail \
f
“et
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Scientific lectures and writings
Nuclear and Thefn
‘Atomic Energy’.
2 pp. ms. notes, n.d.
A short general talk with no
mention of atomic weapons, and a ms, note ‘Special
osition of Canada',
P
see also H.92-H.94 for other lectures given in Canada
1941-42,
Perhaps delivered in Canada 1942;
;
|
Short broadcast for 'The Voice of America’,
of atomic energy, 1
6 3 August 1945 °
ft
on peaceful uses
‘Ethics of Atomic Bomb’.
d,
Typescript draft, undated,
| to Wimperis'.
with ms. note ‘I
lizard,
Duplicated version,
P
2 pp.,
r 4 Ppe,
dated September 1945.
p
Ms. notes for shorter talks on atomic energy, 1945.
‘Imp. Coll. Debating Soc.
Principles of the atomic bomb!
‘Atomic Energy.
North London Collegiate Schoo!!
Aberdeen,
‘Atomic Energy.
Jan. 1946!
‘Atomic Energy’.
Thomson was President
Dec.1 1945', also given
6 pp. typescript with ms. revisions.
Ms. notes for shorter talks on atomic energy, 1946.
‘Atomic Energy.
at 'London Hospital Jan, 22/46!
Address at Inaugural Meeting, Junior Institution of
Engineers, 8 December 1945,
of the Institution.
Brief corresponacnce re arrangements
Talk broadcast by Columbia Broadcasting System, August 1946,
» TOA
Canadian Khaki University
Chatham House March 5
Transcript of remarks as broadcast.
‘Manchester Feb. 6
1946'
‘Charterhouse
March 11
1946!
"You and the Atom'.
rt
.
or
8
Gis
,
+ tae
wt irl os
toriees
amen
"Atomic Power.
1946!
re156
Draft and revise
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
1.
c lectures and writings
‘
:
e,e
Ms. notes for talks, n.d., c.19%
AL
tOe
‘Ashridge.
Atomic Energy in Peace and War'
‘Prospective Uses of Atomic Energy. Chatham Club
haAth arm
Fe oh
pe
Avs
nu
aes
.
om
notes
on applications of atomic energy
Ms. notes for shorter talks on atomic energy, 1947,
‘Atomic Energy.
Jan 2
1947!
Science Masters Association,
‘Oxford Physics Club.
Feb 4
1947'
Atomic Energy.
‘Society Instrument Technology, Billingham
May 20
1947!
‘Maths and Physics Soc.
Oct 16
1947!
Atomic Energy.
‘Society of Glass Technology. Atomic Energy
Oct 15
1947'
F.159-F.163 Broadcasts, 1947,
F161]
F.159
'The Military Uses’.
‘Atomic Energy and International Control’,
Contributions to ‘Atomic Energy Week' broadcasts in BBC
Home Service, March 1947.
Ms. draft of Thomson's contribution,
Schedule of speakers, rehearsals and broadcasts.
Broadcast in BBC European Service, 27 January 1947,
5 ppe typescript with ms. corrections.
Transcript of tc
Ms. notes headed 'B.B.C. Discussion’,
Typescript version with ms. revisions and insertions.
Transcript of ‘The Military Uses', including contributions
by G. Cheshire, J. Bronowski and Thomson.
2°
"International Control’.
re 162
G.P. Thomson
re
CSAG Pe i /5/80)
Scie ntific lectures and t wri ings
*,
|
eaceful Uses of Atomic Energy’.
Ms. and yer ript versions of Thomson's
to report of Church
Group.
Assembly Atomic Ene rgy Discussion
contribution
Shorter talks and
lectures, n.d., ¢.1947.
‘Atomic Energy (Aberdeen)'
‘Future of Mans Energy (Hoover)'
"Luton A.R.P.'
‘Is a Moratorium on Power Production Desirable?!
with a ms. note for Chatham House!
F.166
Talk on international contro! of atomic energy, given at
conference of Atomic Scientists' Aassdinttion, October 1948,
Programme of conference, 1
typescript version with ms. additions.
p. ms. notes, 6 pp.
Ftor
Notes for shorter talks.
‘Consequences of Atomic Energy', dated December
"Hereford.
é
Ss
é
F.169
F.169-F.172 Notes and
‘Dublin
Feb.9.
1949"
'The Hydrogen Bomb'.
'Working Men's College.
talks on the hydrogen bomb, 19
Atomic Energy. Jan 14/49!
The Fufure of Atomic Energy’, n.d., c. 1948
'The Russian Atomic Explosion’, n.d., ¢. 1948
Ms. notes for shorter talks on atomic energy, 1949,
tye
Ms, notes for talk on the hydrogen bomb, Chatham House,
Talk on BBC Third Programme, 14 March 1950
Typescript version with ms. corrections.
Heavily corrected ms. draft.
“
Shorter notes for talk at Rugby, July 1950
ae
yr
-
’
f
a
°
Introductory remarks by Rector,
imperial College.
Letter from listener.
F.170
July 1950.
7.
~
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
ms
Scientific lectures and writings
Notes, calculations and narratives on structure, ex. ‘plosion
and radioactivity of hydrogen bomb.
(Used by Thomson as basis for his talks. )
Correspondence from colleagues on radioactivity of hydrogen
bomb, 1950.
'The Effects of Atomic Weapons'.
Talk on BBC Third Programme, 4 February 1951.
Ms, and typescript versions of ta
Correspondence re arrangements for brocdcast.
Correspondence arising from talk.
Book Review.
Laurence, Holiis and Carter:
'The Hell Bomb’.
For New Statesman ond A lation, May 1951.
F.176-F.178
Paper on wartime
cooperation on atomic energy, wriiten for
Central Office of Information, 1952,
F.176
ells
Correspondence with C.O.1. re paper, and re
publication in American Scientist.
Ms. and two typescript drafts, titled 'Cooperation between
Britain and U.S.A. in the early dane of Atomic Energy'.
Paper as produced | by C.O.1., titled 'Wartime Development
of Atomic Energy.
Co- Soperdtlo n between Two Nations’.
Copy of American Scientist, 41, January 1953, in which the
‘article appears, titled exenerction in Atomic Energy',
and with some errors corrected in ms.
7 ppe ms., no indication of place of publication
Affixed to the first page is a note, 3 January 1955, on the
interpretation of Niels Bohr's telegram referring to ‘Maud
Ray Kent'.
HM.S.O0.: Harwell: The British
mic Energy
Book Review
Research EP aaBlhmente
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
ted
Ms. notes for shorter talks,
"Oxford
Jan 23
1952
Use and abuse of atomic
‘Atomic Energy.
farewell dinner and presentation at Imperia
on Thomson's move to Corpus Christi, Cambridge).
Lahore’ (on verso of inv
irat
on to
f
J
'
f
Collec >
FalOlareloe
‘Morals of Atomic Energy’.
Thomson's contribution to a course of six University Extension
Lectures, organised by University of London Department of
Extra-Mural Studies and The Atomic Scientists! Association,
and delivered January-February 1954.
c
Two copies of lecture, typescript, one having ms. corrections.
Copy of lecture 'Atomic Energy and Moral Issues', given by
K. Lonsdale on the same occasion, and correspondence.
ars of meeting, and of follow-up discussion
in March 1952.
Brief correspondence with organiser.
Final typescript version.
Ms. and typescript versions.
"Atoms and Nuclei'.
Ms. notes and calculations.
Article in The Spectator, February 1955,
'The technical possibility of the control of atomic bombs’.
Broadcast 'The Hydrogen Bomb‘, on BBC Third Programme,
15 June 1954.
Typescript draft with ms. corrections, and press~
cutting reporting speech.
3 pp. typescript.
Talk given on Middle East tour, with a note 'Damascus,
Aleppo, Baghdad, Beirut', 1955.
Article for The Financial Times, January 1956.
‘Possibilities of Thermonuclear Power'.
F.186
CS and wer itings
'Atomicity and Patterns',
ie >
cota
Joseph
Henry
Lecture, delivered on 20 April
Society of Washington,
2 typescript versions, with slightly different ms.
corrections.
'The Nuclear ae i
‘Britain's Drive for Atomic Power'.
Article for Foreign Affairs (an American quarter! ly review),
1956.
Editorial correspondence, typescript of article with
minor ms. corrections.
‘Some possible peaceful uses of atomic energy',
King's Lynn,
fi wary 1957.
‘Atomic Bomb
British Association,
at its meeting in
e
©
Aw)
f
Peshawar
March 1957',
Address to Section A,
Dublin, September 1957.
tA
'The Containment Problem for Therrnonuclear Reactions',
'The Future of Uranium in the Production of Power'
Article for Optima, May 1957
2 typescript versions, with different ms. corrections
and additions.
article with ms. corrections.
Article for series 'Twentieth Century Turning Points’
Technology, December 1957.
Editorial correspondence, 7 pp. typescript of
Correspondence re s security clearance for paper,
‘The Consequences of Atomic Fission’.
Sci ientific Te ctut res and writi ngs
Many of the articles and talks for 1958 deal with 'Zeta',
the
thermonuclear project at Harwell which had Peon announced to the gene ral
public.
F198
Article for The New Sc ientist, January 1958.
Correspondence,
Article for The Sunday Times,
Correspondence, typescript.
Interview on BBC 'At Home and Abroad', January 1958.
Notes for contribution
ilect reactions,
held
»
at
Discuss
Roy
thermo~
ely, a Nee 1958.
"Economics of Nuclear Power'.
Notes for talk to ‘Marshall Society’, February 195¢
Notes for talk 'Thermonuclear' at St.
and Cambridge Phil. Soc., April 1958.
Louis, March 1958
‘British Nuclear Industiy'.
tarvey,
‘Atoms for Peace’.
list of characteristics of
Article for News Chronicle, August 1958.
Notes for talk to Federation of British Industries
Nuclear Energy Conference, April 1958.
Notes for talk to 'Oxford Conservatives', July 1958,
(On verso of notes is a
Lord Cherwell, seeed from his servant J.
presumably for use by Thomson in his Memoir of Cherwe
See G.53ff.).
®
Article for Central Office of Information, August 1958.
Typescript,
in German periodical Univers
correspondence re artic cle and re publication
Correspondence, typescript of article.
‘The H Bomb a necessary evil?!
hook '}
i
Ms. notes for talk at Imperial College, October
rn
art
goa
er
a
ae
c
n
pe
NS
|
|
195%
Q
ae
ihomson
c
lec tures and writings
press release,
det 1958-2.
1O8G
"Geneva Conference’
7C
perhaps for
é
Book review.
snc
Heis
Shorter talks, 1959,
‘Nuclear Weapons'
Notes for 'Talk Dinner’
at Athenaeum,
Janu ary 1959,
Talk at 'British
Nuclear Energy Conference’, 4 pp.
ms. noi fes
eos
2 pp. notes for talk to 'Archimedeans', October 1959.
I
p. notes for talk,
n.d.
/
'Thermonuclear Reactions’,
Drafts and versions of a lecture so titled, given in
various places, 1959-60.
F. 201
F.200
Ms. draft, 9 pp.
Typescript and ms. version, with several ms. pages of new
_maferial, given in New Zealand
Typescript and ms. version, with a heading 'Institute of
Physics, London and Home Counties, 14 January 1959,
Also Holland.
Also Aberdeen and Glasgow October 1959',
Ms. and typescript draft incorporating new material and with
ms. heading ‘Soviet thermonuclear scheme with Joft
windings’.
9 pp. typescri ipt, with a
Typescript version with ms. corrections, given af meetin
of Nobel Prize Winners at Lindau, June-July 1959, and
alsoin U.S.A.
Article circulated by Centra! Office of information via
The New ae 1entist, November 1959- January 1960.
'Thermonuclear bay ae oh
15 pp.
Poe
littl > ediiforiai corresponde
a the oe
pak
TA
‘
'
res and writings
Book reviews, 1959.
E
1
a. Leonrovicn:
T
in
te
of.
!
Plasma physics and the problem of
'
‘
a
controlled thermo! 1uclear react ions'
For r Br itish 1 Jc ourna | of A pplied etek
Ed. Longmire et
.
'
al:
>)
Progress in nuclear energy Series XI.
°
.
'
Plasma
physics and thermonuclear research.
1
.
ae
For British Journal of Ay pplied | Physics.
Brown:
‘Basic data of plas
No indication of place of publication.
Preface to R.W. Clark's book on history of atomic bomb, 1960.
e also D.20.
Review of proceedings of 1958 Geneva Confe
No indication of place of publication.
'
Foreword to 'The Atom', a subject encyclopaedia.
Book review.
Ms, and typescript versions.
Brief editorial correspondence.
Schonland: 'The Atomists', 1968.
No indication of place of publication.
G.33-G.116
/bituaries, lectures and writings on
For other writings by Thomson, particularly on the history of
J. Thomson, see
tt
née ¢ olleci ion
1
History ¢ of physics a iC
HISTORY OF PHYSIC
'The early history of the electron’.
The Pupin Lecture, Columbia University, 13 April 1956
°
Typescript with ms. corrections, 11 pp.
Speech at Commemorative Banquet of the International
Conference on Electron Physics, Baltimore, 23 April 1956.
(On J.J. Thomson and the discovery of Ke ele aban
Transcript of speech with ms. corrections.
Typescript with a few ms. correction
This was published in Physics Today, August 1956, a copy
of which is included with the collection of J.J. Thomson's
papers (CSAC no. 74/4/80, item D.20) in the Library of
Trinity College, Cambridge).
‘Discovery of the Electron’.
Typescript draft with ms. corrections and addit
13 pp.
Ill.
Molecular Structure’, held in
‘Physics yesterday and today'
Typescript draft with a few ms. revision
‘Scientific American 1957',
14 pp.
Includes editorial correspondence with Sci
1956-57, and with British Journal of Physic ‘al Medicine
1957;.
Address given to 'The Robert A. Welch Foundation Conferences
on Chemical Research,
Houston, Texas, 16-18 November et and published cs
Chapter Ill of Conference Proceedings.
Notes of conversations with Arms, Kuhn and Kurt:
Typescript draft with ms. additions and corrections,
16 pp.
Typescript draft,
hand of Thomson, N. Kurti and another,
é
The Cherwell-Simon Lecture, Oxford, 18 October 1960.
Nuclear energy in Britain during the last war',
with many corrections and additions in the
Dp
Plans for lecture, notes, chronology.
i
‘
|
Offprint of published paper.
22 pp.
as
Fo
5
.
e,
Ke
ia. hue
44
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
History of phys
peer heme erence
nd physicists
—
.
.
'
"Early Work in Electron Diffraction
°
—
“ere
we
-
Paper delivered as part of o programme on ‘Topics in the
History of Modern Physics" ,
Physical Society and the American Association of Physics
Teachers, New York,
Journal of Physics, 29, December
published in American
at a joint session of the American
1961,
and
Ms. draft (incomplete), 4
pp.
Typescript from tape, with ms. corrections, 8 pp.
2 offprints of published version, both with ms. notes.
'Fifty Years of Physics and Their Consequences’ .
Lecture at Rice University, Octobe
Typescript with ms. correctior
‘Discovery of the Electron’.
o. ms. nofes,
Given on various occasions
fm
f
'The middle years'.
With a note
sub-titled 'The particle electron in power', March 1964,
ee no.2 delivered at London University’
re
and insertions.
Typescript draft with
"History of the Electron'
'Science and Society in the Thirties’.
Ms. draft with many corrections and insertions.
Transcript of broadcast in BBC Third Programme, 10 December
1965, with contributions by Thomson and many molishimbe:
Lecture at Nobel Prize Winners Conference, Lindau, 1965.
Subsequently published in Naturwissenschaft liche Rundschau
lranscript as broaacasf,
Typescript version with ms. corrections and additions,
16 pp.
broadcast in BBC World Service, 27 May 1966,
a series of four talks on the aie of
"Electron, Proton and Neutron'
2 pp. summary.
Ms. draft, 6 pp.
nr
Ac
J.
Cs
A
Ms. draft,
Second in
15 pp.
tl
-
"
‘
'
oe
CEP
C
Thomson
AS alee
SAC 7 o/ O/ 80
story of physics ar nd physic is sts
‘The Septuagenarian Electron’.
Paper read at a joint meeting of the American Philosophical
Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers,
New York, January 1967, and subsequently published.
Ms. notes, plan, heavily corrected drafts, and summary.
Typescript copy with ms. corrections,
15 pp.
Letter re publication.
G.16-G.18
'The Early History of Electron Diffraction’.
Lecture delivered before the Institute of Physics and the
Physical Society
it
C c
r Fe
a meeting held in Glasgow in July 1967
rty Years of Electron Diffraction, ond
ished in Contemporary Physics, 9, 1968,
fo commemorate
subsequently pub
bl
Ms, draft (indicating where material should be incorporatec
from previous similar lectures).
had
Miscellaneous typescript drafts, all with revisions and
corrections.
(4 versions in all.)
2 pp. typescript account of the conference.
Corrected typescript prepared for
references, captions, etc.
Anniversary Conference on Electron Diffraction, held at
Imperial College, July 1967.
A pp. typescript notes on recent developments in electron
diffraction, prepared by M. Blackman for W.L. Bragg
and forwarded by Thomson.
‘Reconciling the apparently irreconcilable - the early his
of electron diffraction’, shortened version of G.18, given
by Thomson at the Conference and published in Physi os: Bulletin é
at bP «
Lecture at Nobel Prize Winners Conference, Lindau,
‘History of Physics in the Earlier Part of this Century’.
evised and corrected for ot
Ms. draft,
Summary.
16 pp.
'
|
swchau,
,
L
'
]
f
1.2
pr
gis
;
(Sep
oF
Thomson
cs re SA .
75/5/80
D,
/
1;
t physicists
L
ARE
ce Re a eee
The Nobel Prizes in Physics 1937'.
*
TORS
?
Essay for physics volume of o series to be published by
Fratelli Fabbri, Milan.
Ms. drafts.
Typescript drafts and corrections, sent September 1968,
October 1968.
Final heavily correc
G.25
Editorial correspondence re
payment, etc., February
drafts,
1968-April 1970.
corrections, contract,
G.26-G.28
.
Jubilee article,
Institute
of Measurement and
Prepared for the Jubilee
May 1969,
issue
of Measurement
and Control,
a naan
Ms. and typescript versions
Ms. notes.
Brief editorial correspondence.
ee
G.29
G.28
See Koa
L277 \ea0U
Ms. drafts and additions.
Editorial correspondence.
Miscellaneous offprints and printed matter re the Institute.
Article for the sects el
publication in Physic s Bulletin commemora
of the ee —
oe cessor of Institute of Measurement and Control unti!
67).
Thomson was first President of the Society.
Short ms. notes for talks in Manchester and Glasgow,
on the Society for Instrument
January-February 1945,
the history of electron diffraction.
2 typescript drafts, with different ms. corrections, September
1973.
.
Shorter notes, narratives and background material for work on
tae
de
-.
{
"
c
a
“,
lis story of ph YSICS
ev Appleton
1
p. general note
Appleton's work, n.d.
p. note on 'Appleton's Lecture’ (the first Granada
1
Lecture on 'Communications in the Modern World'),
October 1959.
Aston
‘Statement of claim of Dr. Aston for the Royal Medal'
(awarded 1938).
Thomson's obituary of Aston,
for Nature, 157, March 1946,
Typescript
version.
M. Blackman
ms.
corrections,
copy of published
Vote of thanks, 1
p. ms., 19
G.36-C
N. Bohr
G,37
G.4I
G.36
i statement oF eee nee of
G.38
G,.39
G.40
Ms. drofts.
G.38-G. 41
2 typescript drafts with ms. corrections and additions.
Greetings for Bohr's 70th birthday, for publication in
Copenhagen Daily newspaper.
Niels Bohr Memorial Lecture.
Given in Monchester,
1964, and published in Chemical Society Procee ditigs.
by Thomson,
Background material and note
of Bohr,
p. note from Lady
passage through London in 194 43', extracts from draft of
Proof for published version, with ms. corrections and
additions.
Includes obituaries
‘Niels Bohr's
tate.
‘Britain and Atomic E nergy ', annotated
t
'
S
Darwin on
a
pes
’
M.M,. Gowit
é
1
Why
A
.
Cc
T!
inomson
75/5/80
OP
es
History of physics ana pnysicists
or
.
—
a
oe os
aeRO
ape
denneetalinianeentes
ae
Dp
cic
bragg
of Physics, to I
|
p. ms.
Speech at pre
Anniversary
Institution, October
3 pp. notes, programme of events.
G.45, G.46
Memorial notice of Bragg for Annual Record of Trinity
College, Cambridge, 1971.
1
G.45
G.46
Ms. notes and draft.
Typescript version with ms. corrections.
Editorial correspondence.
G.47-G.5
Address at Memorial Service for Bragg,
i September
Ms. drafts.
G.47
G.4
'
f
Caroe (Bragg's sister)
3 typescript versions,
all with ms. corrections.
Correspondence with S. Bragg (son).
Background material and published tributes to Bragg.
Correspondence with Mrs. A.
(including recollections and information).
Correspondence with Lady Bragg (including recollections
and information, Order of Service).
ion volume.
p. ms. recollections, for Chapman's 80th birthday
S. Chapman
1
presenta
L
m1
~
P
:
2
CSAC 75/5/80
_
History of physics and
"AeA inicio ks ee
Cherwell,
ak
Viscount (F.
, mainly from colleagues,
when writing the Memoir of
(published in Biographical Memoirs
:
pocicty, 4,
ak
c
|
Cherwell for t
the Royal Society
of Fellows of The Royal
MRL AE SS cl
t
©
The material, not all of which was used in the published
work, is presented in alphabetical order of correspondent,
with a short note on any information of particular interest.
<2
at
on
“e
bs
°
°
o
e
7
=
I
i
.
.
'
ee
A few items pre-date the writing of the Memoir, and some
of the correspondence continues after that date.
Ce Babing on omitn
On 'spinning flight
Las
irkenhead
Birkenhead
1959
58-62
1958-62
Se
ee ae eae
On 'spinning flight'
and other matters arising
from Birkenhead's biography of Cherwell 'The
Prof in Two Worlds',
.
!
B. Bleaney
1958
1957-58
D.M.B. Butt
G.M.B. Dobson
E.J.S. Clarke
A.A.D. Montague Browne
Includes recollections of Cherwell's wartime activit
Includes recollections of Cherwell's Statistical
Branch 1940-42, some annotated by Thomson for
quotation, and comments on draft M«
)
On 'spinning flight';
account by Farren of Cherwell's work in aerodynamics
of which only part was used in the Memoir.
G.94 for Thomson's obituary of Farren.
includes a substantial
W.S. Farren
1957-48
G.6l
1958
‘
G
—/
o
me
Thomson
.
History of physics and pl lysicists
i
I
‘-
l
R
-
2.F. Harrod
ty
i
j
10L0 °° 21
17O0"61
ce
if
Includes ve
controversy about ‘spinning
SPIN 1g
chronology of
oOnrroyv¢
-cO
3)
SOUT
Cherwell's experiments on spin,
,
flight',
gnr
and the
tre
ana
llections of Cherwell, and
H.B. Hartley
J. Harvey
Vv
H.L. Ismay
includes Ismay's comments on dra
M.R. Jefferis
oe
inciudes reco!lec
zs
ctions.
sc
5
B.M. Jones
Includes : sesiat
VWect
ie
Ccoi eci ions.
R.V. Jones
1957-58
udes bibliography, Jones's obituary of Cherwell,
inc]
correspondence on V2,
g
1957-58
T BSG Keeley
M. O'Gorman
C.L. Lindemann
G.D.A. Macdougall
E.A. Moelwyn-Hughes
Includes early recollections.
Inciudes offprint on Statistical
Inc
On an earlier discussion of Cherwell's work.
Thomson's carbon only
A.G. Pugsley
J.A. Ratcliffe
Robinson
1958
1958
ea
Tizard
On Committee for Scientific Survey of Air Defence
and Air Defence Research Committee.
Thomson's notes and plans for Memoir.
Press-cuttings.
Offprint of published Memoir.
G.75-G.77 J.D. Cockcroft
‘Statement of the claims of Dr. J.D.
the Hughes Medal' (of the Royal
Society), n.d.
skcroft for
Biographical note on Cockcroft, 19
Ms. and typescript versions.
Obituary of Cockcroft, for Physics Bulletin, November 1967,
Ms. and typescript versions.
A.H. Compton
Proof with ms. corrections.
'A.H. Compton at Cambridge’.
Ms. drafts and notes, n.d. but perhaps written for
talk after Compton's death in 1962.
Correspondence with Lady Cockcroft, and with
Chadwick supplying a correction for the obituary;
the correction appeared in Physics Bulletin, January
1968.
rOY
thomson s contribution to
-
Ar
for
Correspondence with colleaques re Davisso
nd
orresponacnce wim colleagues re Vavisson, ana
haemhcni
Applications of Wave Mechani
© a diate pede ok A
1.
on
biographical information.
for Nature, 1958.
Obituary notice
C.J. Davisson
2 pp. ms.
L. de Broglie
ate
al
i
Be Di on
ra
Lf\ai
60
fr
Br
o¢
4
»
de
sd
gt
Pra
‘
+
|
Pe
sae
:
oo
G.P. Thomson
Ait ee Pe Oe
0
gua fh Wes
J/ J]
His story” of physi Ics and physicists
Eve
Obituary notice,
See also J.29.
M, Faraday
Ms. notes for a talk on Faraday, n.d.
V.S. Farren
Correspondence, recollections and information collected
.
é
A
'
by 7 oe whe en writing, in co BAe rat i on with A.A, Hall,
te
in
Scrat LA
1971).
C
f Fe He OWS ¢
f the |
Notes, drafts and revisions for Memoir.
A.R. Collar
P. Dykes
M.A, Farren
1970-72
1970-72
Includes
1970
1970-71
G.86
A.A, Hall
$.B. Gates
R.W. Gandy
Thomson's collaborator on Memoir.
various ‘drafts and sections for insertion.
Includes 8 pp. recollections of Farren of which
only extracts appeared in Memoir.
piloting activities 1941-
Includes recollections, and
Includes recollections.
details of Farren's
RA
M.B. Morgan
AAA +
PQ
G, 88
DP
Mau! |
1970
A. Haslam
1970
J. Lloyd
H istor yo f phy Sics anc
Gl; Taylor
G.Trevelyan
Trinity College, Cambridge
197]
1970
Thomson's notes, ms. and typescript draft
mie
Typescript with corrections by Thomson and Hall,
f
{
May 1971.
rind Aap eee
f Meee
Bae
pe
ites
pita
ee
{
‘
e
Typescript with corrections by Thomson and by
printer, 1971,
Proof with ms. corrections.
See J.3]
Frisch
introductory remarks for a tecture by Frisch ‘From
Radioactivity to Nuclear Energy', November 1969,
P. Langevin
©. Lodge
G.97,G.98
Correspondence re programme.
An Impression of his Life and Work', broadcast!
Notes and ms. for contribution to Langevin Memorial
Meeting, May 1947.
Contribution to a centenary programme ‘Sir Oliver
Lodge.
on BBC Midland Home Service, June 1951.
1969, with corre
Introductory remarks for lecture by Lovell at Common:
wealth Society, February 1960,
R
Kecommenaarion of Lovell anc
We
in
nie
Physics,
Ms, and typescript versions of Thomson's remarks.
Full transcript of programme.
5.100 A.C.B. Lovell
OAC
4
rr
;
if
é
ti
a
s
=
ie
G.P. Thomson
/R/QAN
laed:
4
J/ OY
7
fa
f\ a AN
i list sto ey.
©
Clerk Maxwell
Review of
of Max
‘Progress o
well's S paps ft ers,
c
f
a genius’,
(ned.
14 pp. typescript ta ik on ee olyen ai Aberdeen
and Peiaborch Academy, August 19
Newton
Article for Encyclopaedia 'Knowledge', October
A.O.
Rankine
Offprint from Biograp
ric al
Memoi: rs
oO f£
F
OWS of th e
2 short accounts of Rayleigh, one prepared
College, Cambridge, 1943.
for Magda
iene
S$. Rosenblum
Review of edition of Rosenblum's
G.106
'Rutherford'.
3 pp.
G.107-G.109
G.106-G.110
Rutherford
"Rutherford in 19th Century Cambridge’.
typescript account, with a note ‘Paris 4.11.47.’ ©
Notes and drafts for the Rutherford Lecture given in
New Zealand in 1964, published in Transa
Royal Society of New ‘Zealand,
a2 August 1
Proof of London publication, with ms, corrections
2 typescript drafts, with ms. additions and corrections.
Ms. draft of le cfure.
Thomson's ms. notes.
Offprint of New
and publication.
ar
.
est
bites
G.108
G.109
Roy. 3S0C. A,
ee
Article
for A Bic grag hical
1966.
Ms. and typescript
Correspondence
Book review.
E.N. da C. Andrade:
of the Atom', 1
For Nature.
Ms. and typescript versions.
see A.C.B. Lovell
G.F.C. Searle
Offprint from Biographical N
Royal Society, 1,
|
G.112, G.113:C.P. Snow
Gell2
Review of Snow's ‘Science and Government",
See also J.25.
J.J. Thomson
V.M. Turnbull
For The Sunday Telegraph.
Review of Snow's 'Varieties of Men',
Correspondence re book with H.B. Hartley
For various accounts by Thomson of his father and
his work, see the collection of J.J. Thomson
(CSAC no. 74/4/80) in the Library of Trinity
College, Cambridge.
ms. speech,
Obituary notice for the Perse School, Cambridge, where
Turnbull had been Thomson's mathematics master.
1959, probably for P vysics Bulletin.
°
.
)
mM)
©
Obituary notice,
.
Young
2 pp.
C e a ° R ° Wi Ison
IC
+
P. Thomson
a
75/5/80
é/
/
SECTION H
SCIENCE-RELATED INTERESTS H.1 - H.161
Aims and methods of science
Science and society
Science and educa
-~H.98
Science
and war
Science and religion
Chance and predictability
Euthanasia
H.160, H.161
Shorter talks.
and publications, and
ubli
da little
a
relat
little related correspondence,
The material in this
!
;
c
Section includes ‘notes,. lectures, broadec
‘espond
'
4
There is inevitably some overlap with material! assigned to other
his lectures in America
Thomson was always interested in the wider aspects of science
fields of activity affected by developments in his. own profession.
Sections, €.go, F.150 - F.209 on the effects of nuclear and thermonuclear power.
The main criterion is that Section H contains the reflections of a non-professional on
Some of the talks on the purposes and methods of science, and of its relation with
religion, appear to date from the late 1920s or early 1930s;
and Canada, 1929-30, are known to have included a talk on the eet implica-
tions of the recent discoveries in physics.
similar topics.
on society, its funding and guidance, its relations with government institutions, its
crc
influence on individual lives in peace and war.
His book 'The foreseeable future'
below indicate the number and also the time- span of his writings and lecture;
One of these is concerned with the practical aspects of science, its
:
The surviving material represents two main strands in Thomson's
translated) is the best known summation of these ideas, but the entrie
°
thinking.
lIORR
(1955, i a
ot
impac
ota
Aint rk
Res
,
P
§
4
:
:
‘
°
am
&
Science-related ini
The secona aspect retates
fo
From general discussion of scientific and religious criteria of truth and c
Thomson was lec
| 2
to examine determinism in human affairs,
rS,
and randomness and
opi Terese
Te tice: hen
predictability in the human brain.
pipe
ele
=
h of his later work is concerned with these Oo
Mie
a?
es
xf
°
Tos
matters,
The two threads may be said to come together in Thomson'
for the Voluntary Euthanasia Society.
~
.
-
.
2
'
1
:
}
Here he seems to have felt that for
~
,
both
.
.
sociological and philosophical reasons an individual may, and should, ex
°}
°
I
.
oa.
powe! oO} choice OVCr nis
,
thomson gave n
ch attention fo i
years, and planned an extended work on the
published at his death.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80.
*
Science-related interests
H.1 - H.40
AIMS AND METHODS OF SCIENCE
Hed
Early writings, n.d.
‘Lucretius’, 4 pp. ms.
‘Method of Science', 1
p. ms.
‘Aims and Methods of Physical Science', 4 pp. ms.
‘Aims and Methods of Physics', given to 'Math and Phys.
Soc.', October 1938.
3 pp. ms.
Book reviews, 1950.
W.1.B. Beveridge:
'The Art of Scientific Investigation’.
G. Burniston Brown:
‘Science, its Method and its
Philosophy’.
"Nature of a Law of Nature’.
Given at Southampton, October 1951]
2 ms. drafts and typescript version.
Ms. notes for shorter talks,
"Mass Production in Nature’,
‘Law of Nature', 1
p.
on verso of programme
‘What is a Law of Nature?', 1951-52, 1
p.
for Thomson's visit to Lahore, 1952.
Lecture at Leicester College of Technology and Commerce,
January 1952,
p.
Talk at Imperial College, c.1952, 6 pp.
Talk at Cambridge, October 1952,
1
Ms. and typescript versions.
Letter of thanks for lecture.
"Why Physics? '
'Why Physics?!
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
‘Some Aspects of Science’.
Talk at Working Mens College, n.d., 6 pp.
(Uses similar material.)
'Why do we do Physics? '
Talk at Cavendish Laboratory, October 1953, 2 pp.
Two talks at Lisbon, March 1954,
'What is physics and why do men study it?!
"Why do men study physics ?'
Untitled "Broadcast, May 1955",
On scientific truth, 2 pp.
'The scientific mind’.
7 pp. for broadcast on BBC General Overseas Programme,
July 1958,
'Why Physics? '
2 pp. ms. draft.
14 pp. typescript version.
2 pp. ms. draft for talk on similar subject.
Talk at Hughes Hall, Cambridge, May 1959,
2 ms. and typescript drafts.
‘The nature of physics and its relation to other disciplines’.
Untitled notes for a talk on value and methods of research, n.d.
a
Lecture given for National Science Foundation Summer
Institute, USA, July 1959.
August 1960.
Comment for The New Scientist on an article by F. Hoyle
(on the cost/value of research),
Broadcast in BBC Woman's Hour, February 1960.
A 3pp. talk on the aims of science.
G.P. Thomson
sa
> 75/5/80
Science-related interests
Speeches and addresses at Annual Meeting of British
Association for the Advancement of Science, Cardiff,
1960.
(Thomson's Presidential Year.)
‘The two aspects of science
Presidential Address.
Ms. draft.
Typescript version with ms. corrections.
‘Condensed version for B.B.C.!
H.18
Miscellaneous speeches and introductory remarks giv
at various functions during the Cardiff meeting.
6
items.
Speech on nomination as President (January 1960), speech
at Birmingham to local B.A. (March 1960), speech
Cardiff, 1961.
at
‘The Inspiration of Science’, O.U.P., 1961.
Typescript with ms. corrections, in Thomson's folder
labelled 'This copy exactly as sent to O.U.P. including
numbering of pages'.
Ms. drafts,
Two similar talks.
4 pp. ms.
'The Inspiration of Science’.
‘Inspiration of Science’, given to Rice University,
October 1962.
7 pp. ms.
‘The Inspiration of Science', given to 'Cosmos Club',
Washington D.C., September 1961,
13 pp. typescript and ms. lecture + 1p. summary, giver
to National Research Council, Ottawa, September 1961,
and elsewhere.
:
Similar lecture with some ms. variants, headed 'Given at
Bangor, Feb.
1964',
Typescript with ms. corrections and additions.
Lecture at St,
Louis, October 1961.
‘How does physics go to work?!
10 pp, fyvoescripr and ms, draft - and Qraqram .
re
fi
|
é
'The importance of useless science’,
Lecture in USA, 1961,
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
H.27, H.28
Science-related interests
‘Speech at Balliol Conference’ (Oxford), September 1963
(on purposes of research).
‘Productivity in research in universities'.
Contribution to Symposium organised by Institution of
Chemical Engineers, November 1963.
Typescript draft.
Ms. notes.
Correspondence, 1962-63, with organisers.
Two lectures (nos.
of Malia, November 1963.
1 and 3 of a series) given at University. |
For lecture 2, see H.34.
Hoge
H. 28
‘The two aspects of science’, 13 pp.
‘How does physics go to work?', 9 pp.
M329, P30
"Research in theory
yi
and practice’.
Pp
The Inaugural Sir Henry Tizard Memorial Lecture, given ai
Westminster School, February 1963.
List of guests.
4 pp. ms. notes.
Offprint and proof of published version.
Correspondence preceding and following lecture 1962-63.
"yy
"Some thoughts on the scientific method',
Paper presented at the Boston Colloquium for the Philosophy
of Science, May 1963, and published in Boston Studies in
the Philosophy of Science, Vol.2, 1965.
Offprint of published paper.
Typescript and ms. draft,
12 pp.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
‘Science.
The Great Adventure’,
The John Findley Green Lectures at Westminster College,
Fulton, Missouri, March 1964,
This was a course of three lectures, partly based on earlier
material, with the following titles:
‘Science as a Social Force!
‘Science as a Flowering of the Intellect!
"Science the Mother of Technoloay' YY
The lectures were published by Westminster College,
44 pp., n.d.
Ms. and typescript drafts and notes,
Poster for lecture series.
Published version.
H.33-H. 36
‘What is science trying to do, and why?!
Ms. and typescript drafts.
Miscellaneous notes and narratives on aims and methods
of science, for lectures at Malta and later.
This lecture, with some variations of title, was given at
several times and places by Thomson, 1941~64,
It formed the substance of a Ferguson lecture given at
Washington University, 1961 (H.33), and of the second of
his lectures at the University of Malta, 1963 (H.34, see also
H.27, H.28).
It was given in New Zealand and in Bangor
1964 (H.35), and at a meeting of the British Association
in Sheffield, n.d. (H.36),
4 pp. ms. notes for talk on ‘Pure and Applied Science’.
"How are discoveries made?!
Short typescript notes for lecture,
5 pp. ms. notes on ‘Science a search for truth', November
1965.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-retated interests
H.41-H.78
SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
Heat
Book review.
R. Calder:
'Profile of Science' and
J.L. Synge:
‘Science Sense and Nonsense'
For New Statesman and Nation, May 1951.
'The new age of discovery and its limits’.
p. ms. notes for taik at 'St. Catherines’,
1
February 1954,
"Government Science’.
draft for talk to Scientists Lunch Club,
App.
Cambridge, November 1954.
H.44-H.47
'The foreseeable future' (C.U.P., 1955).
Notes,
chapters of the book.
;
calculations and correspondence for various
P
Thomson's plan for book and designation of chapters.
-
-
Notes for Chapter V
Meteorology
Chapter V1
Food and population
Chapter VIII
-
Social consequences
Notes and calculations for Chapter Il
- Energy and Power.
Notes, calculations, correspondence for Chapter III
Materials,
Notes, calculations, correspondence for Chapter [IV
Aeroplanes, Submarines, Space Travel.
Scientific Club, 1955.
‘Some possible technical advances', University
College, January 1955.
The Robert Boyle Memorial Lecture, to Oxford University
Similar talk, Leicester, no title or date.
Chapter IX
Artificial Thought
‘Some possible technical advances’.
Shorter talks, 1955.
'
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
'The Next Fiffy years of Power’.
Article for Ingot, January 1956.
5 pp. typescript and ms.
'The foreseeable future’,
Talk at Greenwich, February 1956.
5 pp. typescript and ms.
Notes attached for later talksat Greenwich, 1958.
'The Impact of science on modern life - the new industrial
revolution’,
Lecture given at Cavendish Laboratory, March 1956.
13 pp. typescript and ms.
Thomson used this lecture as a basis for other papers
and articles,
See H.55.
H.53
Contribution to BBC European Service Series 'The World
in the Future', March 1956,
ce
Includes brief editorial correspondence.
‘Science and the future’.
H.54
'Future of Technology’.
'The Impact of science on modern life’.
Brief notes for talk to Council for Foreign Relations,
Philadelphia, April 1956.
A revised version of H.52, given at Oklahoma, Bell
Telephone Laboratories and University of Maryland,
April 1956, Imperial College, May 1956, and submitted
July 1956 for publication in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,
January 1957.
Draft, brief editorial correspondence,
Preface to Readers' Union edition of 'The foreseeable
future’, December 1956.
'A Journey to the Moon',
Article for The Star, October 1957.
‘Man may land on the moon a few years hence’.
Article for The New Scientist, October 1957.
Draft, proof, brief editorial correspondence.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
Speech at opening of Computer Laboratory, University of
Durham, January 1958.
Invitation, programme of events, ms. notes, draft
of speech.
‘Science in the modern world’.
Notes and draft for talk at Balls Park Training College.
Typescript interview with Thomson for Reuters, March 1958,
Ms. notes for three talks on future sources of power, given
in various places in America, April 1958.
Untitled lecture, 4 pp. ms., October 1958.
Book review.
M, Pyke:
'Slaves unaware’.
For New Statesman, May 1959.
‘Scientific possibilities’,
Lecture at Greenwich, June 1959,
4 pp. notes,
‘Some hopes and fears".
‘Future of Mankind',
Invitation,
ms. and typescript drafts.
Yt
p
t
Correspondence re arrangements, draft.
Talk at A.E.1. Staff Training Course, July 1959.
Lecture at Imperial Defence College, December 1959,
2 typescript and ms. drafts, slightly different versions.
‘Some possible scientific applications of the near future’.
Article for The Stock Exchange Gazette, August 1960.
Invitation, typescript draft.
"Sources of Energy’.
Broadcast, November 1960.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
‘Scientific possibilities’.
Lecture at Greenwich, July 1961.
Ms. notes, background material,
There is ams. note ‘Some pages removed.
Notes"! (H.71 below),
See "Belfast
‘Belfast.
Foreseeable Future’.
Miscellaneous ms. notes
t
n.d.
t
including some
g
pages removed frorn H.7 Oe
"Physical Science in the Modern World'.
Lecture given at Omaha and Kansas, 1961.
Typescript and ms. draft.
"Scientific possibilities’.
Goldsmiths’ College Oration, March 1962.
12 pp. typescript and ms. draft.
Book review.
‘Hopes and Fears',
Editorial correspondence, 2 versions of article,
‘Britain in 1984',
©
R. Watson-Watt: 'Man's Means to his End’.
3 pp. draft of talk planned for Lancing College, but
eventually not delivered,
Article for a series with this title, published in New Scientist
1964.
age dea oe
Ms. dra i
Foreword to book by R.W. Prehoda, October 1966.
Includes correspondence.
‘One Europe:
is
it possible?'
Talk on BBC European Service, April 1966.
4 pp. typescript and ms.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
H.79-H.91
SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
i779
Two short talks on British Universities, one given in
Washington, April 1948.
H.80
Speech at Norwich School, July 1955.
Invitation, draft of speech.
‘Leicester.
Thoughts on Research', November 1957.
l
p. ms. notes.
Article for The Spectator on the proposed new ‘Principles
of Science’ Tripos at Cambridge University.
Invitation, ms. draft of article.
Letter of comment by N.F. Mott, and amended
version.
‘The Education of Scientists and Technologists, today and
tomorrow’.
9 pp. typescript.
Address to Sondes Park Research Institute, July 1958.
The Arthur Mellows Memorial Lecture, given at Peterborough,
October 1957, and published 1958.
13 pp. typescript and ms.
Untitled talk on sponsored research.
‘Physics and physicists in industry’.
Another lecture, 'The Shortage of Scientists' with a ms.
note 'Peterborough'.
and ms.
Talk (on scientific publications) to Electrical and Allied
Industries Research Association, May 1959,
12 pp. typescript for talk to electrical engineers,
Neda, 6.1958.
5S pp. typescript
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related
j
‘Problems of Specialisation’.
Talk to American Chemical Society, Chicago, January 1961,
6 pp. typescript and ms.
Talk at Technical Training Week Exhibition, Newmarket,
May 1961.
Talk at Ursinus College, June 1963.
Ms. and typescript.
Ms. draft for paper or talk on allocation of research
pop
funds, n.d.
Shorter talks to schools and schoolmasters.
dates, 1952-60.
Various
G.P. Thomson
es AC 75/5/80
H.92-H.98
nce-related interests
H.92-H.94
Lectures in Canada during Second World War, 1941-42.
H.92
‘British Science in War Time’.
Given at Canadian Institute of Surveying.
|
p. notes.
5 pp. typescript and ms. draft.
'The Scientific Attitude in Peace and War',
Ms. notes and draft,
5 pp. typescript and ms. version.
‘Science and War',
|
Bs ms. erat, n.d:
"Science and War'.,
Talk given in America, December 1946,
9 3 pp. ms.
Lecture at Sandhurst, March 1962.
8 pp. typescript and ms.
'War as it looks to a scientist’.
'The just objectives of war’,
Ms. and typescript
versions, n.d.
Talk at Shrivenhom, February 1966.
'The uses of science and scientists in war',
8 pp. typescript and ms.
a
p
~
Te
.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
*
Science-related interests
H.-H TT
SCIENCE AND-RELIGION
H.99
Early undated talks, c.1930s.
‘Free will in physics'
'Miracles'
‘Religion as applied science!
H.100
Undated talks.
'The Emotional Basis of a State'
‘Providence’
'Platitudes'
‘Science and Faith'
Talk at Aberdeen, December 1945,
"Faith and Reason’,
Similar material, no date or place.
‘Determinism in Science’.
Press-cutting, letter of thanks.
H.104
1948, and subsequently
8 pp. notes.
1] pp. typescript version.
"Science and faith:
the contribution of science’,
Letter from J. Thomson (son) enclosing comments and
revisions.
Talk at Aberdeen, April 1953, as part of the last Rector's
debate.
The Joule Memorial Lecture, given to the Manchester
Literary and Philosophical Society,
published in the Society's Memoirs and Proceedings.
additions.
Lecture on science and religion, given at Great St. Mary's,
Cambridge, February 1957.
Heavily corrected and annotated 8 pp. typescript draft
2 typescript drafts with various ms. corrections and
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
H.105
‘Truth in science and religion'.
Talk at Kelham, February 1959,
Typescript drafts, incorporating some of the material
in H.104,
'Westminster Science and Religion Conference’, June 1961.
Ms. notes for contribution.
‘The ordinary man in church', May 1962.
Ms. draft, probably for sermon at Corpus Christi
College,
U~s
Cambridge.
v
H.107-H.109
‘Determinism in Science’,
Paper sent to Academia das Ciéncias de Lisboa, presented
(in a Portuguese translation) at the meeting of the Academy
in March 1964 and published (in English) in the Memorias.
20 pp. ms. draft.
2 typescript drafts with many ms. additions and corrections,
Offprint of published paper.
Book review.
E. Schrddinger:
'My View of the World’.
ms. and typescript drafts, using similar material
Correspondence with President of Academy.
'Time-limited determinism in physical science’.
3
to H.107. One of the drafts has a note 'New
Zealand 1964'.
1965.
For
British Journal for the Philosophy of Science,
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
H.112-H.125
CHANCE AND.PREDICTABILITY
The material consists of notes, calculations and some longer nar-
ratives and drafts on these subjects, and dates from Thomson's later years.
Many
y
of the notebooks are used from both front and back and are
of miscellaneous content.
Most of the drafts are on loose pages torn from similar
spiral-backed notebooks.
Meite
Spiral-backed notebook, labelled ‘Prediction of Complex
events’.
Drafts and calculations.
Includes 4 loose pages on subject.
Spiral-backed notebook,
Miscellaneous’.
labelled ‘Rate of loss of information.
Notes, calculations, 11 pp. draft.
Includes (from rear of book) some reflections on religion.
Spiral-backed notebook, labelled 'Notes on Limits of
Predictability’.
Notes and calculations.
Spiral-backed notebook.
From front:
3 pp. 'What do | believe?!
Spiral-backed notebook.
From back:
scientific discovery.
drafts and loose pages, mainly on chance in
Drafts and calculations on 'Is brain determinate?!
7 pp. ms. draft + 1p. Appendix.
8 pp. loose pages, continuation of above, on sheets
torn from similar book.
Additional notes and drafts on determinacy of brain,
‘Is a human brain determinate?
Draft two'.
4 bundles,
‘Prediction of Brain’.
Both ends of book used,
Feo
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
Y
Two ms. drafts on proof.
'Proof', 3 pp.
'Can proof be permanent?' 4 pp., c.1971.
Three ms. drafts on chance, all on loose pages torn from
spiral-bound notebooks.
‘Chance as a Cause', 16 pp. with many corrections
and additions.
'Chance', 3 pp.
‘Importance of Chance as a Cause', 1
p.
HS 122
Notes and calculations on a problem of randomness.
F
Includes a letter on subject, 1966.
Hi. P23
Notes and drafts on 'Fluctuations' and ‘Determinism’.
i, 124.
Yt
Ms. and typed version of Thomson's letter to J.R. Lucas
seiting out his views on determinism and brain mechanism,
September 1971.
f
'Time:
for Tessa and Anne’,
Ms. draft, 3 pp. typescript, c.1971.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
FH. 12624, 859
Thomson was an active member of the Voluntary Euthanasia
Society,
Yr
and its Vice-President from 1970.
The material comprises Thomson's own writings and lectures on
the subject, including his unpublished book ‘Compassionate Death' (H.126 - H.138),
correspondence and papers relating to the affairs of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society
(H.139 - H.149) and to its proposed 'daughter' society the 'Life and Death Society
(H.150 - H.153).
Minutes and circulars of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society,
general printed and background material have also been retained (H.154 -
|
The principal officers of the Society with whom correspondence
is conducted are the Earl of Listowel (President), A.B. Downing (Chairman) and
C.R. Sweetingham (Secretary).
H.126
"Right to die’.
ys
e127
126
Invitation, ms. draft.
'Voluntary
Euthanasia’.
'The problems of euthanasia’,
Press~cutting
November 1967, and ensuing correspondence,
Thomson in Daily Teleoraph
Mey ae eee Rea i
of letter by
y
g
Ms. and typescript draft for talk at University of
Warwick, October 1968.
Talk at discussion meeting, Institute of Advanced Legal
Studies, London, March 1972.
material to H. 129).
Article published (under the title 'The Euthanasia Debate‘)
in Contact, Autumn 1972.
Talk to Women's League, Unitarian Church, Cambridge,
May 1973.
Ms. draft, editorial correspondence, copy of publication.
Invitation, ms. and typescript craits (using similar
antlers ee as ee Se
Invitation, ms, and typescript drafts,
Talk at Great St. Mary's,
Cambridge,
H.129
'Voluntary Euthanasia’.
*
ore
&
By
4
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
H.13]1-H.138
‘Compassionate Death’,
This is the title of a book of 24,000 words which Thomson
wrote 1971-72, incorporating medical case histories, a note
on the Raglan Bill, etc.
publishers, but not accepted.
The manuscript was offered to several
See also H.143.
First ms. drafts,
Typescript draft with ms. corrections.
Lacks Appendix 3.
Material to be included as Appendices.
Line and word counts for various chapters and sections of
book.
H.134
Miscellaneous ms. and typescript pages for re-drafting, or
with comments added subsequently by Thomson.
H.135
Miscellaneous ms. notes by Thomson for book.
H.136
H.137
H.138
Routledge
Pitman Publishing
Hospital Medicine
Cambridge University Press
Correspondence with doctors, re contributions to be used or
quoted in book (not indexed),
Correspondence with publishing houses re book, 1972.
Articles, letters, personal recollections, etc., sent to Thomson
as background material for book (not indexed).
Includes various ms. and typescript drafts
Correspondence and papers re meetings of /oluntary Euthanasia
~
Society with British Medical Association, and re 'Doctors and
Euthanasia’, the Society's rejoinder (April 1971) to the B.M.A.
on
report 'The Problem of Euthanasia! (January 1971).
Correspondence with Lord Platt (mainly re debate in House
of Lords), 1972-73.
Correspondence with lord Listowel (President, Voluntary
Euthanasia Society), 1970-73.
Victor Gollancz
ek
es
sas
!
ns
nf
:
°
bm
tt
ie
C
1
~
:
a.
*
v71\
ed
©
?
te
7k
4
.
ge
A
Science-related interests
Correspondence and papers re proposed amendment of the
Suicide Act (1961), 1971.
Correspondence and papers, 1971-72, with officers of
the Voluntary Euthanasia Society
book.
re Thomson's projected
Includes initial suggestion for a publication made by
Rupert Hart-Davis Limited.
(not indexed)
See also H.131-H.138.
Ms. and printed material, mainly on medical ethics, 1973.
Includes various drafts by Thomson on patients’ rights,
resuscitation practice, etc., and possible Parliamentary
Bill.
Correspondence and papers re suicide law in Scotland, 1973.
Correspondence and papers re euthanasia societies and
practices in USA, 1971-72.
Correspondence and papers on euthanasia societies in Holland,
with special reference to the report of the Dutch Reformed
which was favourable to euthanasia,
Church, April 1972,
Includes Thomson's ms. and typescript summary of the
report, and related newsletters, brochures, etc.
H.148
H. Toor i
Loe
The Life and Death Society.
H.149
Miscellaneous correspondence re affairs of the Society, 1971-73.
Correspondence re visit of Dutch Reformed Church Delegation,
October 1972.
project was abandoned,
The material relates mainly to attempts fo have the new
society registered as a Charity, and includes reports, circulars,
drafts and correspondence, emanating mainly from Thomson and
officers of the Voluniary Euthanasia Society, solicitors and
active supporters.
for registration of the new society could not be met, and the
Euthanasia Society, its main purpose to be educcitional and
the dissemination of information on patients’ rights and the
treatment of terminal illness.
This was to be a 'daughter' society of the Voluntary
The requirements of the Charity Coramissioners
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
November 1969-December 1970.
December 1971-January 1972.
May 1971-September 1971,
Includes correspondance re supporters for new society.
H.153
March- June 1972.
H.154-H.158
Minutes and circulars of the Voluntary Euthanasio Society
(some annotated by Thomson),
H. 154
Miscellaneous testimonies,
information.
statements, bibliographical
H.155
Minutes and meetings 1970
9
H.156
Minutes and meetings 1971
He tor
Minutes and meetings 1972
Minutes and meetings 1973
Miscellaneous brochures, cuttings, transcripts, etc. relating
to euthanasia.
1 box.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Science-related interests
H.160
Shorter talks to societies and universities, 1950s.
Ba Sac
S.1.M.A. Electronics Group
Geographical Society
n.d.
Rod. c. 1950
1952
Engineering Society of the English Electric Co.
1955
Institution of Gas Engineers
Society of Investment Analysts
1958
1958
Shorter taiks to societies
and universities, 1960s.
Hilger and Watts
Institution of E
stitution
of
Electrical Engineers
g
Aberdeen
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Cientificas
"Makers of Scientific Instru
St.
Louis University Club
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
SECTION J
CORRESPONDENCE J.1
- J.134
The main sequence of correspondence (J.1 - J.124) is presented
alphabetically, dated, and with an indication of any material of particular scientific
or biographical interest, | Most of the correspondence is with individuals, but some
societies and organisations are also included.
There are
few very substantial exchanges and it
is clear that
there are considerable gaps in the material;
in particular there is very little early
correspondence on electron diffraction, and the only letter in the collection from
J-J. Thomson:is at C.3.
J.125 -
J. 134 consists of shorter correspondence, mostly
unindexed,
Adam, N.
K.
Includes correspondence re electron diffraction.
Akers, W.
A.
1935, 1945
1948
Atlan. dv:
©
1958
Poo, 1958
Archambault, B.
Appleton, E.
V.
Andrade, E,
N.
daC,
Includes copy of letter from A.V. Hill re
Scientific Register.
Includes draft by Andrade on 'The Hydrogen
Bomb! and correspondence re_his Rutherford
Memorial Lecture.
M.
Includes copies of letters from L. Brillouin and
M. Brenot.
Armstrong, H.
E.
Barford, N.
°C,
Bannister, F.
A,
Bjerknes, V.
Blackett, P.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
Bohr, N.
Born, M.
Bragg, W.
H,
Brogg,
Wy
ta
1947, 1948
1950,
1933
1935,
+70,
British Association for the Advancement of Science
1939
Includes draft of 'Proposals of further co-ordination
of scientific research in Great Britain’ by
J.D. Bernal and J.S. Huxley, with 2 pp. type-
script comments by Thomson.
(2 drafts)
Brown, J.
K.
re Wirbelrohr accelerator.
Bruce, R.
Enclosing photographs of experimental results.
Brunt, D,
Includes letter from Sir Napier Shaw,
February 1920,
|
y
1950
1934, 1938
Burgers, W.
G,
Covey Coside Be
Chadwieke 4.
re radio carbon dating.
lncludes letter re cyclotron.
Includes copies of brief letters from C.C.
Paterson and W.S. Tucker.
the Committee's activities (The
Correspondence with M. Polanyi (Chairman),
G. Polanyi and P. Polanyi (Secretaries),
sequence includes copies of various letters sent to
the Press by the Committee
i
Cockcroft, J.D. (Thomson's carbons only)
Cherwell, Lord (F.A. Lindemann)
Committee on Science and Freedom.
The
reports on
-
ee
Se
ps
Chapman, S.
Chaudhri, Ro
M.
re cyclotron,
de tae ote
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
sipieeraeslsinienipiellleiniaeaghenetiocaeeii
Correspondence with M. Polanyi.
Correspondence with G. Polanyi.
reports on the activities of the Committee, July
1954-August 1955, September-November 1955.
Includes
Report on activities, December 1955-February 1956,
Folder also
Correspondence with P. Polanyi.
includes report on the Committee's activities,
eptember 1958-May 1959, as weil as press-
ORO
cuttings, offprints, etc., 1959-60.
includes correspondence with E. Shils, J.R. Baker
and M, Polanyi.
ComptonyK.
ct.
1930
re Thomson's book on 'Wave Mechanics of
Free Electrons’,
Danno, Y.
Dingle, 4.
R.
:
Coote; Go.
By
Dale, fi.
is
Cumming, W.
re super-conductors.
re nuclear weapons,
re thermonuclear research.
a few related offprints
Includes correspondence with W.H. McCrea re
q
Sai ae eh
relativity, corresponaence with the Secretary
of the Physical Society (H.H.
paper submitted for publicatio
re materials (gold crystals, metallic beryllium,
pure iron, etc.) needed by Thomson for various
experiments,
Includes correspondence with H.W. Melville.
Desch, GA
1933, 1957
De Lastis
Daviston, Co
hh
i
ie 3
opt
at
“
et
|
.
c
wae
gE oe
1930, 1940
1930-35
A
Hopkins)
©
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
Dire Fe
Ag!
IM,
Dodds, E.
M.
Editions d'Art Lucien Mazenod,
Correspondence with L. Leprince-Ringuet and
L. Mazenod re biographical article on J.J.
Thomson written by Thornson for publication in
a book entitled 'Les Inventeurs Célébres',
Folder also includes ms. and typescript drafts of article.
Ehrenhoft, F.
Eldridge, R.
H.
re artificial control of weather.
RUig (CoD,
re electron diffraction experiment.
193
1937
1949-50
Emeleus, K.
G,
Includes typescript of paper by Emeleus on
plasma electron oscillations,
too, 1958
Evans, U.
R.
See also G.81.
1930
1948
193]
Poren, We
So
re fluid dynamics.
Farnsworth, H.
EE.
re electron diffraction.
Eve, F.C. 2. Gndatve, E,
re Thomson's obituary of A.S. Eve.
Correspondence arising from Thomson's book on
'The Wave Mechanics of Free Electrons'.
wv
E.
(Thomson's carbons only).
letter from Thomson to the Nobel Committee for
Physics recommending Fermi for
1940 (Thomson's
carbon only),
Includes copy of
the Nobel Prize.
Ferguson,
vs
Fermi,
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
Binén, Ge
ol
(Thomson's carbons only.
Thomson to M. von Laue),
Includes letter from
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
i
Correspondence with the Director (C. Winter
re a portrait of J.J. Thomson in the Cavendish
Laboratory.
Print. Ma
oe
Fowler, R.
H.
re experiments with semi-conductors.
Franck, J.
Arrangements for Thomson io deliver a lecture
at Gédttingen.
P.
F.
light effect on waves.
|
a
Frankland,
re
Fraser, R.
French, R. . C.
Gabor, D.
Gaertner, H.
Gentner, W.
Gerding, H.
Geddes, A.
E.
re plasma oscillations.
Arrangements for Thomson to deliver a series of
lectures in Holland,
1949
re solid state physics.
letter from J.D. Cockcroft.
rd
fects of nuclear explosions.
z
‘
‘
by Thomson and copy of
related printed matter,
|p. ms. calculations
Halsbury, Earl of
Griffith, He
Oy
Hankey, Lo L
tS of
Gladwyn, Lord
1948
1946
Gruber, F.
1933, 1934
lncludes
G.P. Thomson
G S A > 75/5/80
Correspondence
Hartley, H.
B.
if icludes correspondence re
J.J. Thomson.
Hume-Rothery, W.
Imperial Chemical Industries Limited
Correspondence with the Publicity Department
re article on the Electron Microscope.
1948
1943
Imperial College, London
Correspondence with and re members of Imperial
College staff, arranged in alphabetical order.
of the correspondence is re appointments, salaries,
etc., but this is sometimes combined with accounts
of work in progress or plons for future research.
of the exchanges are with H. Dingle or L.C, Martin
who stood in for Thomson during his periods of absence
from Imperial College.
Some
1935-50
Most
The names of all
correspondents, with the ex-
ception of junior members of staff, are included in
the Index of Correspondents.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
J.58
be OF
V=W
J.60-J.66
Institute of Measurement and Control
1948-74
)
gy
formerly Society of Instrument Technolo
UE Se
Thomson was the first President of the Society
which was founded in 1944.
He was made an
Honorary Member in 1955 (see J.61) and continued
to keep in touch with the Society for many years.
He delivered the first Thomson lecture in 1961 (see
J.62) and was asked to have his name associated
with a Goid Medal (J.65).
See A. 28 for aCertificate of Membership of the
Society, 1945.
See G.26-G. 28 for an article written by Thorson
for the Institute's Jubiiee in 1969.
1962-67
1948-
1955
196]
Includes invitation from the President (A.J. Young)
for Thomson to become an Honorary Member of the
Society.
51
Correspondence with Secretary re meetings,
subscriptions, etc.
Includes draft minutes
of Council Meeting, 13 April 1949.
(L.B. Lambert) and Secretary,
Includes typescript of ‘The Inspiration of Science’,
the first Thomson Lecture of the Society of Instru-
ment Technology, delivered on 19 October 1961,
The text of the lecture was published in Nature
and in the Society's Transactions,
Miscellaneous correspondence with President
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
1968-73
Includes correspondence with the President
(D.C. Nutting) re the Institute's petition for a
Royal Charter.
1973-74
Correspondence with the Secretary.
Includes
request for permission to link Thomson's name
with a Gold Medal to be awarded by the Society
every five years.
Printed matter and circulars, 1964-73.
Institute of Marine Engineers
Institution of Electrical Engineers
re portrait of J.J. Thomson to be hung in the
Institution.
Bes. ie?
ee
waCKton,
7
4.4
Vs
(Thomson's carbons only)
re light helium experiment.
Jackson, H.
James, R.
W.
seOns ee
Le
Jeffreys, H.
n.d.
1940
Sliovdeurie
(Thomson's carbon only)
July 1935,
re electron diffraction.
draft with ms. corrections by Kirchner on
'Electron reflection on polycrystalline metal
layers and surface structure of polished metals',
Includes copy of a letter from G.B. Pegram,
Includes typescript
1933, 1938, 1946
Karlik, B.
King, R.W.
JONES Re
OV
Kirchner, F.
1930-35
Fs
1946, 1967
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
Klemensiewicz, Z.
re biography of M. Smoluchowski.
Kramers, H.
Includes letter from J.D. Cockcroft.
Kudar, J.
re hydrogen isotopes.
Lave, M.
von
P
Much of the correspondence is re electron
diffraction with an accompanying exchange of
plates and photographs.
from P.P. Ewald asking Thomson to review von
Lave's book 'Materiwellen und ihre Interferenzen'.
Folder includes a letter
ee
9g
1957
1948
1950
1932-37,
1947-49
Ladenberg, R.
(Thomson's carbon only)
Lebau, H.
Lees: CoS.
re electron diffraction.
1948
1934
1933
Lodge, O.
Lowy, Tt,
MM.
Lyman, T.
Lin, H.
Littlewood, Dur
(Thomson's carbon only)
re Thomson's obituary of F.W. Aston.
Enclosing photographs from H. Mark.
Continued
re Thomson's foreword to the English edition
of R.A. Millikan's autobiography.
Includes
a letter of thanks from Millikan.
re Thomson's book 'Wave Mechanics of Free
Electrons‘.
Macdonald & Company (Publishers) Limited
G.P. Thomson
“SAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
J.77 (Cont.d)
McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited
1932, 1965
re Thomson's book ‘Wave Mechanics of Free
Electrons', and a biographical article for
'Encyclopaedia of Science and Technology’.
McHenry, J.
J.
McKerrow, G.
Includes correspondence re electron microscope
built for Imperial College by Metropolitan-
Vickers Electrical Co. Ltd., with the aid of a
grant from the Royal Society.
McLennan, J.
C.
re experiments using radiothorium.
McNaughton, A.
G.
L.
Enclosing text of broadcast on atomic energy,
6 November 1948.
Mann, W.
B,
1936-37
re experimental work at Imperial College and
Berkeley, California.
Includes several! photo-
graphs,
a
a
j
2
8
1943
193
1936-50
Mark, H.
Matin, °C.
Manson, J.
M,
Enclosing 3 pp. typescript on exchange of
scientific information between Britain and Canada.
Includes several letters written from the University
of Rochester, New York, where Martin was Visiting
Professor, 1936-37.
re research and Imperial College affairs.
of the exchonges are conducted with A. Rankine or
H. Dingle, in Thomson's absence from Imperial
College.
re thermal conductivity,
Includes copies of reports on work done at
Imperial College 1935, 1936 with radon from the
Middlesex Hospital Centre,
Correspondence is mainly
Some
Medical Research Council
Mendenhall, C.
E.
J.83
1936-37
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
Ministry of Supply
PAoon, Fa,
Bs
Includes typescript 'Summary of notes on
lectures by E. Fermi', n.d., and 3 pp. ms.
calculations.
Mott, N.
Munn, B.
W.
re atomic warfare.
Norton Company
re optical periclase.
Norway, N.S. (Nevil Shute)
Correspondence arising from Shute's book 'On
the Beach’,
Nuffield Foundation
Oliphant, Me.
t.
E,
1948
1947
Osborn, F.
Otty, bic
M.
Paneth, F.
A.
Parson, A.
L.
Oxford University Press
re preface by Thomson to Italian edition of his
book 'The Atom’.
Includes ms. draft of preface.
Includes typescript entitled ‘Explanation of the
Photoelectric Effect without Wave-particle
Dualism'.
a reprint of which is included in the folder.
re supply of caesium photocell to Thomson's
laboratory.
nt
on ‘Quantum Mechanics without “The O}
)
Correspondence arising trom an article by
}
re thermonuclear power,
roferon, Gs.
C.
Peierls, R.
EE.
FODDEl, Bai
Re
erve
ot
1935-36
1946
1967-68
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspo ndence
Portal,
Lord
re atomic weapons and the balance of power.
Powell, C.F.
Enclosing abstract of a Discourse given by
Powell at the Royal Institution, 16 February 1951.
1947
195]
Przibraun, K.,
Raether, H.
Read, S.
Reimann, A.
L.
Reynolds, P.
W.
Richtmyer, Fo
K.
Rickett..0,
Hi.
(Thomson's carbon only)
Ridedt. 8: °° K,
Robertson, R.
Rotblat, J.
Robertson, J.
K.
Royal Institution
re nuclear fission.
Includes correspondence
Includes correspondence with A.C. Egerton.
re diamonds lent to Thomson for electron
diffraction experiments.
with R, Beeching,
and F. Simon.
1950 correspondence is re arrangements for
Thomson fo attend the 10th Anniversary Cele-
brations of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Cientificas in Madrid, 12-17 April.
Correspondence with the Librarian (K.D.C.
Vernon).
re electron diffraction experiments.
correspondence with several others including
anes
hee
©.W. Richardson, Lord Rutherford,
“
L. Szilard
a oe
Jn 1
ee
me
1955
1962
J.100
Rupp, E.
1928-35
elude:
4
Royal Society
1948, 1950
Say
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
Russ, S.
Rutherford, Lord
1934, 1948
1933, 1935-37
Includes correspondence with H.A. Ferreira.
Ryle, M.
1957; 1960, nals
1960 correspondence is
in response to a request
from Thomson for information re radio astronomy
in connection with a proposed lecture four in
USA.
Folder includes letters from A.C.B. Lovell
and H. Bondi, and some ms. notes and calculations
by Thomson.
Miscellaneous reprints on radio astronomy sent to Thomsen’
by M, Ryle. : (See J.92.)
Rymer, T.
8B.
Schrdédinger, E.
1957
1945, 1949
Includes correspondence re Determinism.
‘Semaine Internationale Contre le Cancer’.
1938
Shaw, H.
1947-49
(Director, Science Museum)
See F.80 for draft of Thomson's lecture.
Correspondence re a lecture delivered by Thomson
in Paris, 26 November 1938,
from the Secretary of the Physical Society
(W. Jevons) re Thomson's attendance at the Paris
meeting as the Society's representative.
Includes a letter
Correspondence re Thomson's original electron
diffraction camera which he lent to the Science
Museum, along with some early photographs, for
the Electron Jubilee Exhibition, 1948,
various drafis and reprinis by Slepian,
Includes correspondence with D, Gabor, and
ne
j
Shenstone, A.
Shon, Tse
ee
se
“rac
dar
othe
ea
1946, 1951
1960, 1963
G.
Slepian, J,
G ° r e TI iomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
Smith, M.
me
re experiment performed by J.J. Thomson in
1897 to measure the specific charge of cathode
rays.
Societa Italiana di Fisica
lnvitation to Congress (declined).
2 letiers from the British Council.
Includes
Straus-Negbaur, A.
F.
Includes 2 letters from M. Planck and 1 from
G.M. Schurhoff.
Sulaiman, S.
re theory of relativity.
letter from H. Dingle.
Includes copy of a
Sutton, N.
re investigations into crystal structure of pro-
tective films on metais.
"Report on protective coating acquired by
magnesium alloy during chromete treatment',
by R.O. Jenkins.
Includes typescripi
Szilord. 4.
Takamine, T.
Thouless, R.
Tifimon, ac.
Tye eS
mainly re ordering of metallic beryllium from
Siemans=Schukert.
Folder also includes corre-
pondence with the Academic Assistance Council
re provision of research facilities for Szilard.
from A, L. Hetherington.
Includes oorrespondence re dating of Chinese
ceramics by electron diffraction, with a letter
Tinea, Fy
sal,
1951
1950
1947-48
W882 TTF
Thomson
75/5/80 \
Correspo! ndence
Triflaf Ju
CPhiaiiea? s carbons only)
Includes a letter from J. Cates.
Ta
Vee Pe
ae
Tumbull, H.
W.
re letters of Iscac Newton.
Van der Graaf, R.
J.
FTheriian's s carbon only)
Walker, P.
K.
(copy of letter from Thomson only)
P.K. Walker was Fellow and Dean of Chapel
at Corpus Christi College, 1958-62, and later
Bishop of Ely.
Thornson's letter was written in
reply to one from Walker (not included here)
enclosing a copy of his Hulsean Sermon fo the
University of Cambridge, and contains some inter-
esting theological observations.
Whyte, lL.
“-L.
Wierl, R
Witlianis; €. °° J.
(Thomson's carbon only)
re work of J.J. Thomson.
The letter is included in the collection by kind
permission of the Bishop of Ely.
Continued
1933 correspondence isre a request by Thomson
for Mesothorium, and offers to send him four samples
of luminous compound, then in possession of the
Air Ministry.
by the National PI 1ySsic al Labor« atory, September 1931,
is enclosed with the
Correspondence arising from Thomson's book
'The Foreseeable Future'.
A copy of
4 report on ‘ie compounds
re ultimate strengths of fibres.
1954
1933, 1947
fetter.
Witliams, R.
Wilson, A.
H.
Wimperis, H.
E.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
J. 12k (Cont 'd.)
Corresponaence
The compounds, sent by Wimperis, were found
with the letter when the Thomson collection was
They were mildly radio~
being sorted in 1980.
ctive and were handed over to the Oxford Uni-
versity Radiation Protection Officer for disposal.
1947 correspondence is re wor!d stocks of uranium.
Wood, A.
re possible publication of a lecture by Wood on
J.J. Thomson.
Wooster, W.
:
(gypsum, anthracene,
) for use in neutron diffraction
1948
1935
det2o
Wright, W.
BB.
Correspondence with A.O. Rankine re echo
sounding.
Zeeman, P.
1933
Zuckerman, Lord
1958
Includes copies of correspondence with Sir
Charles Kingsley.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Correspondence
P
dv t25- J. 154
Shorter correspondence.
6-5]
1950-62
The following correspondence is arranged in
subject files and with the exception of J.125
is not indexed,
Invitations to give talks, lectures, etc.
Shorter correspondence with publishers and journals,
mainly requests to write or referee articles.
Requests to work in Thomson's laboratory.
Brief letters enclosed with books, articles, disserta-
tions sent to Thomson.
Requests to quote or reproduce from articles by
Thomson.
Requests from individuals for references.
Miscellaneous personal correspondence,
1947-51
Correspondence with eccentrics and members of the
1950-51
Requests from institutions to examine theses or
candidates.
Miscellaneous shorter scientific correspondence,
including invitations to conferences, etc.
general public.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
SECTION K
PLATES, SLIDES AND PHOTOGRAPHS K.1 - K.41
K.1
Copies of G.P. Thomson's original sketches for his
first electron diffraction apparatus.
of the originals are not known.
The whereabouts
Wooden box containing 49 photographic plates, labelled
‘First Diffraction Experiments, Sept.12 1927-Nov. 22 1927.
"X", Au, Pi, Al, Ag inclined’.
with a brief description of each plate is attached inside
the lid of the box.
A list of contents
Cardboard box containing 5 photographic plates, 1929-30,
labelled as follows:
‘Reflection 1929!
(2)
‘Reflection pattern "3 rings" probably oxidised
copper’ (February 1930)
‘Reflection 1930'
(2)
Cardboard box (no lid) containing 14 photographic plates,
1931, labelled as follows:
Probably
Probably
'Reflection'
(January)
(January)
(February)
(February)
(February)
(February)
(February)
"Copper single crystal '
|
‘Copper (single crystal)!
‘Copper single crystal’
"Single Crystal Reflection'
‘Single Crystal Reflection.
silver'
‘Single Crystal Reflection.
Copper'
‘Single Crystal (Cu?) irregular cut
reflection’
(
‘Reflection.
Reece
‘Reflection.
‘Reflection F.C.C. crystal!
Diamond!
i
Diamond!
December)
December)
October)
(November)
‘Reflection
1931'
‘Reflection
193
‘Copper single crystal’
(April)
May)
(
(
(
(
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Plates, slides and photographs
Wooden cigar box containing 7 photographic plates,
1932-35, labelled as follows:
'Reflection 1932'
(January)
‘Reflection 1932
diffuse rings
(Pi o? 7.
‘Reflection 1932!
(February)
(June)
'Reflection 1932 (Perhaps NaCl)!
(October)
‘Platinum Transmission 1935'
(March 1933)
"Grease Pattern 1933'
‘Silver polycrystaline reflection
/35'
(April)
(March)
Cardboard box containing 14 photographic plates,
undated, but labelled as follows:
'Gold Transmission Orientated'
‘Polished Gold (reflection)!
‘Burnished gold reflection'
‘Lead Oxide Transmission’
'Gold Transmission'
Untitled
Kile
(2)
(8)
K.8-K.11
Cardboard box labelled ‘Copies and prints of two gold
transmission pictures, Dec. 19 (1927).
slides (copies)'.
Also two
4 boxes of slides illustrating electron diffraction,
mostly made from Thomson's original glass plates.
no indication as to their origin.
Miscellaneous photographs, mainly of electron diffraction
patterns.
in various publications, others are in envelopes labelled,
and sometimes dated by Thomson, but many are loose with
Some of these are mounted for reproduction
>P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Plates, slides and photographs
4 large wooden slide boxes, all with note of contents,
as follows:
‘lonisation by +V&S
Positive Rays
Mass Spectra
Crystals
X rays!
"Nuclear.
Atomic Physics
Box 3'.
n.d., 6.1935
Slides inside labelled 'X-rays' and 'x rays’.
y
y
‘Cosmic Rays'.
Slides inside mainly of mesons, latest date 1949,
"Betatrons
Raether on Rock Sait
lectron Microscope’
nd.
'Mesons',
K.23
K.28
K.24-K.27
Katly Ke22
K.17-K.20
2 boxes of slides containing portraits of physicists.
‘Cavendish photographs'.
individual and group photographs of members of the
Cavendish Laboratory.
1 box containing slides of
4 boxes of slides illustrating the history of electron
diffraction.
Inside of box lid bears similar labels, and a note that
the Betatron slides were for lecture at Institute of
Electrical Engineers.
3 boxes,
4 boxes of slides on thermonuclear
pictures of Zeta and Sceptre (see Section E),
power.
"Slides of crystal growth oriented on substrate’,
‘Miscellaneous including positive rays’.
Slides on 'Davisson's and Kikuchi's work'.
‘Plates of double tube camera circuit’.
Seeing Atoms" Menter'.
ae ae
ery
ee
K.d2) Ki Ga
f
K.34-K.36
EP
QA
Ai
tuc
h
¢
.
Includes
e
-
1 box.
1 box.
1 box.
1 box.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Plates, slides and photographs
‘Slides and Original Plates returned by Dr. Gomer
from the Institute for the Study of Metals, Chicago’.
1 box.
'Boyle lecture',
y,
1 envelope,
f
‘Radio Astronomy'.
1 box.
‘Aeroplanes'.
2 boxes.
See A.16, A.17 for typescripts of the lectures for
which these slides were presumably prepared,
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
INDEX OF CORRESPONDENTS
ADAM, Neil Kensington
ADAMS, Walter
AGNEW, Sir (William) Godfrey
AKERS, Sir Wallace Alan
ALLAN, H.R.
ALLEN, J.
E.
ALLIBONE, Thomas Edward
ANDERSON, Sir Games) Norman (Dalrymple)
ANDRADE, Edward Neville da Costa
3
APPLETON, Sir Edward (Victor)
oa
3.113
J.64
Ji i; 3:49
J.43
aa
E.106, J.46, J.56
—-H.127
1
De 7 os Dis7, Jeo
J.49
See also G.33
f
ARCHAMBAULT, Bennett
ARMSTRONG, Hamiilton Fish
ARMSTRONG, Henry Edward
J.3
F.189
Daa
ASHBRIDGE, Sir Noel
BEVAN, Edmund V.
Blackett of Chelsea
BARILETT, 5,
C.
say
BECK, Guido
BAKER, John Randal
See G.34, J.75
A.27
“od
Euro,
fs
B84, E.
F, 103
ale
J.4
J.4
BARFORDI CN, .
Cc.
BANNISTER, F.
A.
ASTON, Francis William
BABINGTON SMITH, Constance
BEECHING, Richard, Baron Beeching
See also G.35
BIRKENHEAD, Frederick Winston Furneaux
BLACKETT, Patrick Maynard Stuart,
Baron
BERNADOTTE, Count Lennart
eee eee
S.19, J.44
Gra
H.149
G.54
J.5
BLACKMAN, Moses
Smith, 2nd Earl of
BJERKNES, V.
diy See,
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Index of cori espondents
BLEANEY, Brebis
BLOK, Arthur
BLOUNT, Bertie Kennedy
BOHR, Niels
BONDI, Sir Hermann
BOOKER. HM,
°@:
BORN, Max
BOURNE, Sir Geoffrey K.
BRAGG, Alice,
Lady
BRAGG, Stephen Lawrence
BRAGG, Sir William Henry
BRAGG, Sir (William) Lawrence
DiloGewke fee
Vie
AG
BROCK, Helena L.
Gio
ofp. bate yi Ea SO
A.38
Je6
See also G.36-G.42
J.103
J.44
Asa 3-6
H.67
G.49
G.50
+7
re va4, G10. J. 7;
See also G.19, G.43-
J.
5:
>
BRUCE, R.
BRUNT, Sir David
BUNEMANN, Oscar
BURGERS, W.
G.
BUTCHARL, H..'e
BURTON, Eli Franklin
BROWN, J.B.
Deora, Je
Ke
BRUCKSHAW, J.
McG.
BUTLER, Sir James Ramsay Montagu
CARLETON, John
CAROE, Gwendolen
CATES, J.
CADOGAN, A.
CALDER, Nigel
CAMPBELL, Alastair V.
BUTT, David Bensusan
G.P. Thomson
SAC 75/5/80
Index of correspondents
COVE Cad,
ee
CHADWICK, Sir James
CHAMPION, Frank Clive
CHANDOS, Oliver Lyttelton, Viscount
CHAPMAN, Sydney
CHAUDHRI é
Rafi M.
CHERWELL, Frederick Alexander Lindemann,
Viscount Cherwell
CHICK, Douglas Richard
CLARK, Ronald W.
CEARKE,.&.°
John §.
COCHRANE, William
COCKCROFT, Elizabeth, Lady
COCKCROFT, Sir John (Douglas)
J.10
Dt, Gir aasi se
Jeo
D.66
Jef
See also G.52
Jed)
05 65,8. ore
See also G.53-G.74
os be
E.82
D.20
Ge
Hay, Sidtoe
G.77
Oe ik.
a
‘72
See also G.75-G.77
See G.78
F.134
G.80
J.18
J.18
Fe lov
Ie teo
oe
COSSLETT, Vernon Ellis
COX, Sir (Ernest) Gordon
COOTE, Sir Colin (Reith)
COMPTON, Arthur Holly
COLLAR, (Arthur) Roderick
COULSON, Charles Alfred
Jo
CURTIS, William Edward
DALE, Sir Henry Hallett
DANNO, Y.
CRIPPS, Sir (Richard) Stafford
CUMBERLEGE, Geoffrey
CUMMING, W.
R.
CRAGGS, fe
D,
COHEN, Leon
COMPTON, Karl T.
DARROW, Karl K.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Index of correspondents
DAVID, Richard (William)
DAVISSON, Clinton Joseph
DE BROGLIE, Louis Victor
DE LASZLO, Henry
DESCH, Cecil Henry
DIACK, William
DICKENS, D.-
DINGLE, Herbert
ska
C:
DIRAC, Paul Adrien Maurice
Diet Ke eo Re
DOBSON, Gordon Miller Bourne
DODDS, Edwin M.
DOUGIAS, George P.
DOWNING, A.B.
H.138
bs 20
See also G.79
See G.80
Fie
ese
ha5'35
H.138
ody” Hitey dx Oy: 18O%
S827 F141
J.24
J.47
G.59
J.24
A.27
H.149, H.152
G.46
G.84
J.96
DUFF, Patrick William
DYKES, Paul
EHRENHAFT, Felix
EVE, Elizabeth
EVE, Frank C.
ELDRIDGE,’ R..*
H.
EVE, Arthur Stewart
EMELEUS, Karl George
EVANS, Ulick Richardson
ELLIS, Sir Charles Drummond
EGERTON, Sir Alfred (Charles Glyn)
waite
G.84
G.60, H.46, J.30
See also G.83-G.94
ARREN, Sir William Scott
FARREN, Mildred A.,
Lady
FARNSWORTH, H.
E.
FABER, Thomas E.
Res
svar
F.128
J.30
02?
See G.8]
“LACH NI
:
ak N, Allan
Al
i
A
Amorim
‘
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Index of correspondents
FISHER OF LAMBETH, Most Rev. and Rt. Hon.
Geoffrey Francis Fisher
FLINT, Henry Thomas
FOWLER, Sir Ralph Howard
FOX, Terence Robert Corelli
FRANCK, James
FRANKLAND, Percy Faraday
J.34
FRANKLIN, Norman
FRASER, Ronald
FRENCH, Richard C.
FRISCH, Otto Robert
PORER. J. * as
FURTH, R.
FRY-De
We
GABOR, Dennis
J.34
J.34
D.23, F.129
See also G.95
A.27
F
er
Es
GAERTNER, H.
GENTNER, W.
Jj
G.85
GANDY, R.
W.
GARRO JONES
see TREFGARNE
5.36
J.36
Je 37
GEDDES, A.
Bees
GLADSTONE, E.
W.
GARTEN? Wa
Ri.
SS;
GATES, Sidney Barrington
GERDING, H.
GILES, George Henry
O22
GRIFFITH, Harry D.
GRUBER, F.
GLADWYN, Hubert Miles Gladwyn Jebb,
GOODEVE, Sir Charles Frederick
GOWING, Margaret Mary
ORAHAM, Robert L.
A.27
H.76
J.37
1.138
G.61
Ist Baron
GOLLANCZ, Livia
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Index of correspondents
HADDOW, Sir Alexander
HALL, Sir Arnold (Alexander)
Hi 125
G.86, G.94
HALSBURY, John Anthony Hardinge Giffard,
Ear! of Halsbury
HANKEY, Robert Maurice Alers Hankey,
Baron of The Chart
HAQUE, Abdul
HARPER, Wallace Russell
HARRE, H.
Rom
HARROD, Sir Roy (Forbes)
HARTLEY, Sir Harold (Brewis)
HARTRIDGE, Hamilton
HARVEY, James
HASLAM, Alexander
HETHERINGTON, Arthur Lonsdale
IOCHAM,C,..
Se"
SB.
HILL, Archibald Vivian
HODSON
ove
HOLMYARD, Eric John
HORTON, AnnC.
A
i
J.50
F.127
G6?
G.63, G.112, J.41
J.59
G.63
G.87
J 116
A.27
D.68, H.29, 5.3
F.193
A.27
A.27
4.72
J.42
E.108
G.26-G.28
HUME-ROTHERY, William
HUNT, Stanley Ernest
HOLBEIN, Arthur Montague
INSTITUTE OF MEASUREMENT & CONTROL
ISMAY, General Hastings Lionel, Baron Ismay
Di24, 6; 64
JACKSON, Willis, Baron Jackson of Burnley
JAMES, R.
JAMES, Walter
JEANS, Sir James Hopwood
JEFFERIS, Sir Millis Rowland
GDPT ER ta
Ja
WwW,
JEFFREYS, Sir Harold
IVES, Herbert E.
JACKSON, Sir Herbert
W.
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Index of correspondents
JEPPWICK,: Ja:
ENKINS, R.
Py
O,
JEVONS, W.
JOHNSTON, Robert William Fairfield
JONES, Sir (Bennett) Melvill
JONES. Reginald Victor
KAMMERMAN, Eugene
KARLIK, Berta
KEELEY, Thomas Clews
KELLNER, Charlotte
KING, Robert W.
KINGS NORTON, Harold Roxbee Cox,
Baron of Wotton Underwood
KIRCHNER, Fritz
KLEINWORT, Sir Cyril (Hugh)
KLEINWORT, Ernest Greverus
A.27
A.27
J.106
A.38
G.65
F.147, G.66, J.69
Peiee
J.70
G.67
dS
J.70
A.2,
KUDAR, John
LATHAM, Robert
LAUE, Max von
LEBAU, Harry
2's.
KLEMENSIEWICZ, Z.
LAMBERT, L.
B.
LANGEVIN, Paul
KLEMPERER, O.
KRAMERS, Hans
LAWSON, J.
-D.
LENNARD-JONES, Sir John Edward
LEES; Gs
LEPRINCE-RINGUET, Louis
LEWIN, Ronald
LINDEMANN, Charles Lionel!
LEBOURDAIS, D.
M.
LEWIS WG
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Index of correspondents
LINDEMANN, F..
A,
see CHERWELL
LISTOWEL, William Francis Hare
5th Earl of
LITTLEWOOD, John Edensor
LLOYD, James
LOCKSPEISER,
Sir Ben
LODGE, Sir Oliver (Joseph)
LONSDALE, Kathleen
LOVELL, Sir (Alfred Charles) Bernard
H.139, H.142, H.14
JsZ5
G.87
A.2/
5.76
See also G.97, G.98
FL ASZ
JelO3
See also G.99, G.100
LOWRY: le
Ms
LYMAN, Theodore
LYTTELTON, Oliver
see CHANDO
McCLENAHAN, H.
McCREA, William Hunter
J.76
5.76
A.24
J.23
G.68
H.46
A.4]
H.146
J.80
J.81
J.8]
F.193, F.205
McKERROW, George
MG HEINRY
jJees
4.
J.J7
J.49
J.78
Jae
Jif?
MAIR, William Austyn
MACKENZIE, C.J.
MACDOUGALL, Sir (George) Donald (Alastair)
Mc LENNAN, Sir John Cunningham
MAKINS, Roger (later Lord Sherfield)
McNAUGHTON, General Andrew George Latta
MALI, Katharine
Bz
MANN, W.
F.i72
MARK, H.
MARLEY, W.
G.
MARSDEN, Ernest
MARGERISON, Tom A,
MARTIN, Sir David Christie
MANSON, J.
M.
MARTI N,
Louis Claude
!
, Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80°
Index of correspondents
MASON, RR.
G.
MASSEY, Sir Harrie Stewart Wilson
MATTHEWS, Paul Taunton
MAULL, David
MAXWELL, James Clerk
MAYNEORD, William Valentine
MAYR, Jakob
MAZENOD, Lucien
MECKE, Reinhard
MELLANBY, Sir Edward
MELVILLE, Sir Harry (Work)
MENDENHALL, C....E.
MAG, dacs
Ws
MILLER, H.
M.
MILLIKAN, Robert Andrews
J.54
Jo bee
F.134
G.88
See G.101
Ee W2
G.21
J ond
G.21
J.49
Jeu)
J.83
D.8,
Geoz
J.77,
MOELWYN-HUGHES, Emyr Alun
MOFFATT, J.
MOORE, Harold
MUNN, Bruce W.
NEWMAN, James R.
MOAKES, G.
RK;
MOON, Philip Burton
MOTT, Sir Nevill (Francis)
MORGAN, Sir Morien (Bedford)
MONTAGUE BROWNE, Anthony Arthur Duncan
G.56
J.54, 3.84, J.125
G.88
C.81, F115, H.82, 5284
D.65
O'GORMAN, Mervyn
OLIPHANT, Sir Mark (Marcus Laurence Elwin)
OSBORN, Frederick
PAGET, Sir Richard (Arthur Surtees)
PALMER, P.E.
NORWAY, Nevil Shute
J.84
F.116
F339
3.00
J.64
G.69
J.86
J.86
A.27
NUTTING, David C.
Orey, Eric hi.
G69
E.64
J.60
it, Jeee
G.P. Thomson
75/5/80"
Index of correspondents
PANETH, Friedrich Adolf
PARSON, A.
L.
|
PATERSON, Sir Clifford Copland
PEARSE, R.
W.
B.
PEGRAM, George B.
PEIERLS, Sir Rudolf (Ernst)
PERKINS, Donald Hill
PERRIN, Sir Michae! (Willcox)
PERRING, William George Arthur
PevNie Oe
Pe
Re
PRIELIPS, We
Ke
RIDDING, J.
W.
RIDEAL, Sir Eric (Keightley)
ROBERTS, Colin Henderson
ROPDCRLOWIN,: Jao,
ROBERTSON, John Monteath
ROBERTSON, Sir Robert
ROBINSON (Edward) Austin (Gossage)
ROGERS, L.
Joslyn
ROSENBLUM, Salomon
ROTBLAT, Joseph
ROXBEE COX, H.
RUNCIMAN, Walter
see KINGS NORTON
dn P2
5.93
70
J.100
5.94
£86, E<87
Hear, 3.95
Pale
3.96
Eo lae
i 97
G.70, H.45
D.65
See G.105
F162, Hy 192, 3.98
RUSSELL Bi
cS
Nelson
RYLE, Sir Martin
A. 34
Eafe
A.27
RUSSELL, Sir (Edward) John
RUPP, FE,
RUSS, Sidney
GoZ7, ‘3,100
Bie, 0,10)
RUTHERFORD, Ernest, Baron Rutherford of
Je 100
See also G.106-G,.110
102
SCRIMGEOR, D,
SATTERLY, John
S CHARFF, Trude
SCHRODINGER, Erwin
SCHURHOFF, G.
M.
SCIAMA, D.
W.
Py hoe’ dele
See also G.100
J.105
F.122
RYMER, T.
SACRISTE, A.
B.
give
C.38
J.105
J 310
F.1¢
;
G.P. Thomson
CSAC 75/5/80
Index of correspondents
SEARBY, Philip J.
SEARLE, George Frederick Charles
SELWYN, Very Rev. Edward Gordon
SHAW, Herman
SHAW, Sir (William) Napier
SHENSTONE, Allen
Goodrich
SHILS, Edward
SHIRE, Edward Samuel
G.7
See G.11]
A.36
Jeter
ie
Dsbo)Js 108
dete
JsD3
SIMON, Sir Francis (Eugene)
in LOO; J, 008° JZ325
SINCLAIR, Sir Archibald
see THURSO
SLEPIAN, Joseph
SMITH, Sir Frank Edward
SMITH i.
8,
SMITH, S. >> Le?
Henderson
SMITH, Thomas Broun
. 109
as
SMITH-ROSE, Reginald Leslie
SPENS, Sir Will
F.
A.:
Sete
See G.112, G.113
SOHLMAN, Ragnar
STURROCK SF...
A.
A.26
G.I
A.34
SOMMERFELD, August
SMOLUCHOWSKI, Roma
STAFFORD-CLARK, David
SNOW, Charles Percy, Baron Snow
STRATTON, Frederick John Marrian
STRAUS-NEGBAUR, A.
B.
SZILARD, Leo
TAKAMINE, T.
7100, LA'S
J.114
TAYLOR, Sir Geoffrey Ingram
SULAIMAN, Sir Shah
BAILAGYI, by....F,
H.152
eae
Ald
120
A
F174
THOMSON, George Paget v2
Published: 20 November, 2023 Author: admin