Person: Wolstenholme, Joseph

Joseph Wolstenholme was an English mathematician who made a significant contribution to mathematical education.

Joseph studied at Wesley College in Sheffield, then entered St John's College, Cambridge on 1 July 1846 and, four years later, he graduated as Third Wrangler (he was ranked third in the list of first class degrees given in mathematics that year).
Wolstenholme was awarded a fellowship to St John's College in March 1852.
On four occasions during the years that he held the fellowship at Christ's College Wolstenholme was an examiner for the mathematical tripos (1854, 1856, 1863, 1870).
However, Wolstenholme continued to take pupils at Cambridge for two years after resigning his fellowship.
In 1871 Wolstenholme was appointed professor of mathematics at the Royal Indian Engineering College at Cooper's Hill, near London.
Wolstenholme's problems have proved a help and a stimulus to many students.
During that period he became friends with Wolstenholme.
She later incorporated Wolstenholme into one of her most famous books To the Lighthouse.
In this book Mr Augustus Carmichael is based on Wolstenholme.

Born 30 September 1829, Eccles (near Manchester), England. Died 18 November 1891, Maida Vale, London, England.

View full biography at MacTutor

Origin England

Thank you to the contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0!

O’Connor, John J; Robertson, Edmund F: MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive