The Professors of Physics

It is striking that since the beginnings of the department in 1871, the years from 1871 to 1988 were spanned by just four Professors of Physics:

• Alexander Stewart Herschel, F.R.S. (1871-1886)
• Henry Stroud, BA, D.Sc. (1887-1926)
• William Edward Curtis, F.R.S. (1926-1956)
• Stanley Keith Runcorn, F.R.S. (1955-1988)

The Woods

Another part of the Department's history is associated with John F and Peter J Wood. Father and son, they were both lecturers in the Department of Physics and consecutively they taught physics at Newcastle between 1924 and 1988 - an unbroken time of 64 years. This unique achievement is commemorated by the Wood Memorial Lecture.

Other Professors of Physics

Many other members of staff have contributed to the development of the department as it exists today. Notable amongst these retired members of staff are those Professors who have held chairs with titles other than Physics:

• George William Todd (Professor of experimental physics, 1919-1950)
• George Stanley Rushbrooke, FRSE, FRS (Professor of theoretical physics, 1951-1980)
• Edward Gick Richardson (Professor of acoustics, 1956-1960 )
• William Russel Hindmarsh (Professor of atomic physics, 1961-1973)
• Kenneth Midworth Creer (Professor of magnetism, 1966-1972)
• Kenneth T Dolder (Professor of atomic physics, 1973-1989)
• Paul Davies (Professor of theoretical physics, 1980 -1990)
• Ronald Girdler (Professor of geophysics, 1996-2001)