GLAISHER,J.W.L., FRS, SCD (1848-1928)

This review of the personal and professional life of J.W.L.Glaisher de als initially with his immediate family background and his education u p to his graduation. His leisure interests are then briefly mentioned. These sections are followed by an account of his life during the 30 y ears when he was a Tutor and a Lecturer at Trinity College, Cambridge. During these years Glaisher worked tirelessly to promote the cause of pure mathematics at Cambridge University. Ar the same time he maintai ned a keen interest in other aspects of mathematical study, particular ly the history of mathematics and mathematical astronomy. He served wi th distinction as an editor of the Quarterly Journal of Mathematics an d the Messenger of Mathematics from the 1870s until his death, by whic h time he had been the sole editor of the Messenger for 40 years and t he Quarterly Journal for 32 years. Glaisher's period as a Lecturer at Trinity ended in 1901 but he did not wish to leave his rooms at Cambri dge and remained in residence there for the rest of his life. He was n ot awarded the Sadleirian Chair of Mathematics on the death of his men tor, Arthur Cayley, in 1895 and it is probable that this disappointmen t was one of the reasons he immersed himself in a new interest - colle cting pottery. In due course he acquired an international reputation i n this field. His collection, which illustrated the development of tec hniques in manufacture, especially but not exclusively of the English school, was incomparable. J.W.L.Glaisher's achievements, thus summariz ed, fail to give much clue to the man's personality. In an attempt to remedy this defect this paper attempts to analyse the events which may have affected his emotional and cultural as well as his intellectual development. It puts forward the suggestion that his shy manner may ha ve disguised a turbulent nature.