Kelvin's name is to be found in almost every sector of 19th Century science. The abstruse nature of much of Kelvin's advanced work renders it obscure to the non-scientific reader. This factor, as well as the extent of his papers, most of which are preserved in the Kelvin Collection of Cambridge University Library, explains why no definitive biography has superseded Silvanus P. Thompson's two-volume life published in 1910, three years after Kelvin's death.

Inspec keywords: electricity; biographies

Other keywords: cambridge university library; electrical science; Kelvin collection; lighting; electricity

Subjects: Other general electrical engineering topics