Sir Bryan Thwaites, FIMA, FRSA (born 6 December 1923) is an English
applied mathematician
A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems.
Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change.
History
One ...
, educationalist and administrator.
Early life
Bryan Thwaites was born on 6 December 1923, the eldest son of Ernest and Dorothy Thwaites. He was educated at
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is a 2–19 independent, day and boarding school for boys in Dulwich, London, England. As a public school, it began as the College of God's Gift, founded in 1619 by Elizabethan actor Edward Alleyn, with the original purpose of ...
, from 1936–1940, and, thereafter, at
Winchester College
Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...
, aided in both colleges by scholarships. He was graduated with an MA from
Clare College
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. It was refounded ...
,
Cambridge University
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
, in 1944, gaining a First in the Maths Tripos. He received his doctorate (Ph.D.) from
London University
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree- ...
.
Career
Early career
Thwaites' first appointment, on graduation, was as a Science Officer at the
National Physical Laboratory (NPL),
Teddington
Teddington is a suburb in south-west London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. In 2021, Teddington was named as the best place to live in London by ''The Sunday Times''. Historically in Middlesex, Teddington is situated on a long m ...
(1944–1947).
He then moved to the Department of Aeronautics at the
Imperial College of Science
Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...
(1947–1951), where he made an early impression: his Thwaites Flap being used to assist aeronautical tests. At this time Thwaites also became an
AFRAeS.
Schoolmaster
In 1951 he returned to his old school,
Winchester College
Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...
, as an Assistant Master, teaching mathematics (1951–1959) and remained in secondary education for most of the 1950s.
Thwaites was also commissioned into the
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) was established in 1936 to support the preparedness of the U.K. Royal Air Force in the event of another war. The Air Ministry intended it to form a supplement to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF ...
during this period, as a pilot officer in the Training Branch
AFVR(T) 952–1958 This was largely to assist with the command of the College cadet-force. Thwaites resigned his commission in 1958, as he prepared to take up his new appointments.
Professor
In 1961 Dr. Thwaites was appointed Professor of Theoretical Mechanics at the new
University of Southampton
, mottoeng = The Heights Yield to Endeavour
, type = Public research university
, established = 1862 – Hartley Institution1902 – Hartley University College1913 – Southampton University Coll ...
(1961–1965).
On taking up his new post, Prof. Thwaites hosted a conference addressing the disconnect between the teaching of mathematics and the need for professional mathematicians in industry and academia: the result was the
School Mathematics Project
The School Mathematics Project arose in the United Kingdom as part of the new mathematics educational movement of the 1960s. It is a developer of mathematics textbooks for secondary schools, formerly based in Southampton in the UK.
Now generally ...
(SMP). At a meeting in Winchester, three public-school maths. teachers met with Thwaites to devise a new curriculum: Martyn Cundy (1913–2005)
Sherborne School
(God and My Right)
, established = 705 by Aldhelm,
re-founded by King Edward VI 1550
, closed =
, type = Public school Independent, boarding school
, religion = Church of England
, president =
, chair_label = Chairman of the governors
, ...
, Tom Jones
Winchester College
Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...
and
Douglas Quadling
Douglas Arthur Quadling (1926–2015) was an English mathematician, school master and educationalist who was one of the four drivers behind the School Mathematics Project (SMP) in the 1960s and 70s.
Life
Quadling was educated at the City of Lond ...
(OBE)
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Founded in 1843 for the sons of Church ...
. T. D. Morris of
Charterhouse School
(God having given, I gave)
, established =
, closed =
, type = Public school Independent day and boarding school
, religion = Church of England
, president ...
joined the group soon after. The representatives of Charterhouse, Marlborough, Sherborne and Winchester were then joined by
Battersea Grammar School
Battersea Grammar School was a Voluntary-Controlled Secondary Grammar School in South London. It was established in Battersea in 1875 by the Sir Walter St John Trust and moved to larger premises in Streatham in 1936.
The school closed when it ...
(A. J. Penfold),
Exeter School
Exeter School is an independent co-educational day school for pupils between the ages of 7 and 18 in Exeter, Devon, England. In 2019, there were around 200 pupils in the Junior School and 700 in the Senior School.
History
The School traces its ...
(D. J. Holding),
Holloway School
Beacon High is a coeducational secondary school for 11-16-year-olds in the Tufnell Park area, located in the London Borough of Islington, England. Beacon High is a member of the Islington Futures Federation of Community Schools and the Islington ...
(D. E. Mansfield) and
Winchester County High School for Girls (WCHS) (J. E. Harris) and these eight schools initiated the SMP. Within a year the team had drawn up materials for the 'modern mathematics', ready for the new academic year in September 1962. From July 1964 three examination boards offered the new syllabus for the G.C.E. The SMP began as a research project but was then formalised as a charitable trust: Prof. Thwaites was the founding Director.
Taking another approach to further the development of mathematics, Thwaites co-founded, in 1964, the
Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), alongside Professor (Sir)
James Lighthill
Sir Michael James Lighthill (23 January 1924 – 17 July 1998) was a British applied mathematician, known for his pioneering work in the field of aeroacoustics and for writing the Lighthill report on artificial intelligence.
Biography
J ...
; he became a Fellow (FIMA) of the institute. In 1990, IMA received its Charter and was therefore able to award the title of
Chartered Mathematician Chartered Mathematician (CMath) is a professional qualification in Mathematics awarded to professional practising mathematicians by the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) in the United Kingdom.
Chartered Mathematician is the IMA's ...
(CMath) to practising mathematicians, as part of the professionalisation of the occupation.
Principal
In 1965, Professor Thwaites was appointed Principal of
Westfield College
Westfield College was a small college situated in Hampstead, London, from 1882 to 1989. It was the first college to aim to educate women for University of London degrees from its opening. The college originally admitted only women as students and ...
965–1984 a newly co-educational college of
London University
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree- ...
, based in
Hampstead
Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from Watling Street, the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the Lon ...
. He held the post for seventeen years, retiring from the post shortly before the college merged with
Queen Mary College
Queen Mary University of London (QMUL, or informally QM, and previously Queen Mary and Westfield College) is a public university, public research university in Mile End, East London, England. It is a member institution of the federal University of ...
.
In 1969, Professor Thwaites was also appointed the
Professor of Geometry 969–1972at
Gresham College
Gresham College is an institution of higher learning located at Barnard's Inn Hall off Holborn in Central London, England. It does not enroll students or award degrees. It was founded in 1596 under the will of Sir Thomas Gresham, and hosts ove ...
, a role that is largely an honorific.
Administrator
Thwaites developed an interest in medical administration, accepting a number of appointments over the years: he was Chairman of the
Northwick Park Hospital
Northwick Park Hospital (NWPH) is a major National Health Service hospital situated near the town of Harrow, London, Harrow, North West London, managed by the London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust. It is located off Watford Road in th ...
Management Committee and a member of the Council of the
Middlesex Hospital
Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, England. First opened as the Middlesex Infirmary in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally clos ...
Board.
From 1982 to 1988, Thwaites was Chairman of
Wessex Regional Health Authority. A 1993 report revealed that in 1986, Thwaites came under intense pressure to award a contract to Arthur Andersen. Patrick Jenkin was registered as a lobbyist for Andersen, and had been the man who appointed Thwaites to the post, when Jenkin was Secretary of State. Nevertheless, Thwaites was knighted in the New Year's Honours list of 1986, for his services to education and medicine. Jenkin was awarded a peerage in 1987. The friendship was briefly cemented by the marriage – later dissolved – in 1990, of Thwaites' son to Jenkin's daughter.
Other initiatives
In 1983, Thwaites co-founded the charity
Education 2000, with Christopher Wysock-Wright.
Philanthropy
In later life, Sir Bryan sought to downsize and divest himself of his assets to serve good causes. In 2007, he donated an organ built for his London apartment to his old school Dulwich College. In 2019, he attempted to leave a bequest, totalling a million pounds, to his two secondary schools, on condition that it was used to benefit 'white working-class poor (males)'; the schools felt unable to accept the offer in light of anti-discrimination laws.
Family life
Bryan Thwaites married Katharine Mary (Kate) in 1948; Lady Thwaites died in 1991. They have 6 children.
As a widower, Sir Bryan owned an apartment in the
Albany,
Piccadilly
Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Court, ...
for a number of years.
Publications
*
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thwaites, Bryan
1923 births
20th-century British mathematicians
Academics of the University of Southampton
Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge
Knights Bachelor
Living people
People educated at Dulwich College
People educated at Winchester College
Scientists of the National Physical Laboratory (United Kingdom)
Principals of Westfield College
Royal Air Force officers