Hartree, Douglas R. (Douglas Rayner), 1897-1958

Hartree was born in Cambridge and educated at Bedales School, 1910-1915. He entered St John's College, Cambridge in 1915 but his course was interrupted by war and he joined the team led by A.V. Hill which was studying anti-aircraft gunnery. He returned to Cambridge after the war, graduating in 1921, Mathematical Tripos Part I, Natural Sciences Tripos (Physics) Part II. He was awarded his Ph.D. in 1926. He was a Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, 1924-1927, and Christ's College, Cambridge, 1928-1929. He then moved to Manchester University where he was successively Beyer Professor of Applied Mathematics, 1929-1937, and Professor of Theoretical Physics, 1937-1946, though during the Second World War he was mainly on secondment working on the scientific staff of the Ministry of Supply. In 1946 he returned to Cambridge University as Plummer Professor of Mathematical Physics, a post he held until his death. His principal research interests were atomic structure, propagation of radio waves and numerical analysis and calculating machines. He was elected FRS in 1932.

From the guide to the Papers and correspondence of Douglas Rayner Hartree, 1897-1958, 1932-1950, (Christ's College Library, University of Cambridge)

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