Misplaced Pages

John Raymond Wilton (2 May 1884 – 12 April 1944), invariably referred to as J. R. Wilton, was an Australian-born mathematician. In the period of 1926–1934 Wilton published 26 research papers on analysis and number theory. For which he gained the Doctorate in science from the University of Cambridge in 1930 and in 1935 he was the first person to receive the Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal from the Australian National Research Council.

Early life

Wilton was born at Belfast, Victoria, the eldest son of Annie Isabel Wilton, née Gladstones (14 March 1862 – 3 June 1927), and Charles Richard Wilton (c. 1855 – 8 March 1927), of the Bank of Victoria, Dublin, but later head of the literary staff of The Advertiser. His Wilton forbears had impeccable Wesleyan Methodists credentials: his grandfather John Wilton, a schoolchum of W. Morley Punshon, was a Methodist preacher who came out to Victoria in 1882. He was educated at Prince Alfred College from age 7½ years, winning two Elder scholarships and the Old Collegians' scholarship and in his final year dux of the school.

Education and scholarships

At the University of Adelaide, Wilton graduated with first-class honours in mathematics and in physics (B.Sc). Professor Sir William Bragg praised Wilton for his natural genius in mathematics among any of his students. In 1904, Wilton proceeded to Trinity College, Cambridge for B.A., 1907 and M.A., 1911. He was awarded a sizarship and won the Jeston scholarship in 1905. In 1914, he received his Doctor of Science from University of Adelaide.

Career

In 1908, he joined as an assistant lecturer in the Cavendish Laboratory. Later, he worked as Lecturer in mathematics at the University of Sheffield from 1909 to 1919. In 1920 he returned to Australia, and served as Professor of Mathematics at Adelaide University until his death in 1944. He was also a member of Edinburgh Mathematical Society since 1928.

On 12 April 1944, he died of a cerebral hemorrhage and was buried in West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide.

Other interests

Wilton was a dedicated Methodist, representing his church on the Council of Churches, being elected president in 1926.

Notable publications

Wilton published 26 research papers during the period of 1926–1934. Some notable publications are

• On plane waves of sound (1913)
• On the highest wave in deep water (1913)
• On deep water waves (1914)
• Figures of equilibrium of rotating fluid under the restriction that the figure is to be a surface of revolution (1914)
• On the potential and force function of an electrified spherical bowl (1914–15)
• On ripples (1915)
• On the solution of certain problems of two-dimensional physics (1915)
• A pseudo-sphere whose equation is expressible in terms of elliptic functions (1915)
• A formula in zonal harmonics (1916–17)

References

1. ^ Potts, R. B. "Wilton, John Raymond (1884–1944)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
2. "Family Notices". South Australian Register. Vol. XLIX, no. 11, 695. South Australia. 8 May 1884. p. 4. Retrieved 17 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
3. "An Adelaide Student". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XLII, no. 12, 454. South Australia. 31 March 1905. p. 1. Retrieved 17 July 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
4. ^ "Wilton biography". www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
5. Wilton, J. R. (1 September 1913). "XXXIV. On plane waves of sound". Philosophical Magazine. Series 6. 26 (153): 440–452. doi:10.1080/14786441308634990. ISSN 1941-5982.
6. Wilton, J. R. (1 December 1913). "XCVII. On the highest wave in deep water". Philosophical Magazine. Series 6. 26 (156): 1053–1058. doi:10.1080/14786441308635056. ISSN 1941-5982.
7. Wilton, J. R. (1 February 1914). "XLI. On deep water waves". Philosophical Magazine. Series 6. 27 (158): 385–394. doi:10.1080/14786440208635100. ISSN 1941-5982.
8. Wilton, J. R. (1 November 1914). "LXX. Figures of equilibrium of rotating fluid under the restriction that the figure is to be a surface of revolution". Philosophical Magazine. Series 6. 28 (167): 671–685. doi:10.1080/14786441108635249. ISSN 1941-5982.
9. Wilton, J. R. (1 May 1915). "LXXII. On ripples". Philosophical Magazine. Series 6. 29 (173): 688–700. doi:10.1080/14786440508635350. ISSN 1941-5982.
10. Wilton, J. R. (1 December 1915). "LXXXII. On the solution of certain problems of two-dimensional physics". Philosophical Magazine. Series 6. 30 (180): 761–779. doi:10.1080/14786441208635456. ISSN 1941-5982.
11. Wilton, J. R. (1 January 1915). "A Pseudo-Sphere Whose Equation is Expressible in Terms of Elliptic Functions". Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society. s2_14 (1): 339–346. doi:10.1112/plms/s2_14.1.339. ISSN 1460-244X.

• 1884 births
• 1944 deaths
• 20th-century Australian mathematicians
• Academics of the University of Sheffield