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Walter Rouse Ball
Times obituary
Mr. W. W. Rouse Ball, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, who died on Saturday at Elmside, Cambridge, at the age of 74, was for many years a well-known figure in the University. Generations of Trinity men benefited by his mathematical teaching; he was the historian of mathematics, of the college, and of the First Trinity Boat Club; and the University benefited in various ways by his administrative ability.
The only son of Walter Frederick Ball, of Hampstead, Walter William Rouse Ball was born in 1850 and entered University College, London. There he obtained honours in mathematics, logic, and moral philosophy, and a Gold Medal for mathematics, and was later elected a fellow of the college He was elected a scholar of Trinity, Cambridge in 1871 and took his degree as second wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos of 1874, being also first Smith's prizeman in the same year. In those days the Smith's prizes were awarded as the result of a special mathematical examination and not, as at present, for essays. Ball was elected a fellow of Trinity in 1875, with the late Professor James Ward, and was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1876, going the South-Eastern Circuit and practising as an equity draftsman and conveyancer. He was the author of a "Student's Guide to the Bar." His career as a barrister, however, did not last long.
In 1877, during the illness of Professor W. K. Clifford, professor of applied mathematics at University College, London, Ball acted as his deputy, and in 1878 he returned to Cambridge, at the invitation of his old college, as a lecturer in mathematics. In 1880 he was appointed assistant tutor. In 1891 he was appointed to the newly created post of Director of Mathematical Studies in the College, and in 1898 senior tutor and chairman of the education committee of the College Council. He served on numerous university and college boards and committees and acted on various occasions as moderator of the Mathematical Tripos It fell to him in 1890 to announce that Miss Philipps Fawcett, of Newnham, was above the Senior Wrangler." He was auditor of the University Chest, and valued member for several years of the University Financial Board, and representative of the University on the Cambridge Borough Council, the Watch Committee, the Assessment Committee, and Storey's Trustees. He also served on the governing bodies of Westminster School and the Perse School, Cambridge.
Outside Cambridge, Ball was best known as the author of works dealing with the history of the college and with the history of mathematics, the latter subject having, somewhat curiously, been generally neglected in Cambridge before he took it up. In addition to various memoirs and papers, he published a history of mathematics and a primer of the same subject, "Mathematical Recreations and Essays," "The Genesis and History of Newton's Principia," and "The History of Mathematical Studies at Cambridge." In connection with these historical researches, he formed a collection of portraits of mathematicians, which is believed to be the largest in Great Britain
Ball took a keen interest in rowing and was treasurer of the University Boat Club, of the First Trinity Boat Club, the history of which he wrote, and of other university and college societies. Naturally, the recent correspondence in The Times on Cambridge rowing attracted him, and we published on March 21 last a letter from him in which he showed that the Trinity Boat Club was founded in 1825 to put the sport on a permanent college basis. Before that, it had been carried on informally by private combinations. Ball also founded the Pentacle Club, an organization of Cambridge men interested in conjuring.
The funeral service will be in Trinity College Chapel on Wednesday at 2:30.
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir.
Your obituary yesterday of the late Mr. Rouse Ball contains, among other things, the statement that he was on the governing body of Westminster School as the oldest member of that body. I ask leave to supplement this bare statement.
Trinity College, Cambridge, has, during the 40 years for which I have been a governor, sent us some excellent representatives, but none better than the late M. Rouse Ball. He was constant in attendance and an excellent colleague. He acted as auditor of our accounts and took our finances under his special charge. With these, he was careful and prudent, but he never hesitated to recommend judicious outlay. Further, on all points connected with the School, he showed an insight and a sympathy as great as any of his colleagues, even those of us who were old members of the School. At our last meeting, on March 10, he showed all his usual acumen and interest, and it was with surprise as well as sorrow that I covered the account of his death. No doubt his presence will be much missed in several other gatherings, but I doubt if he will be more mourned anywhere than at Westminster.
Your obedient servant.
April 7. PHILLIMORE
Mr. W. W. Rouse Ball, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, who died on Saturday at Elmside, Cambridge, at the age of 74, was for many years a well-known figure in the University. Generations of Trinity men benefited by his mathematical teaching; he was the historian of mathematics, of the college, and of the First Trinity Boat Club; and the University benefited in various ways by his administrative ability.
The only son of Walter Frederick Ball, of Hampstead, Walter William Rouse Ball was born in 1850 and entered University College, London. There he obtained honours in mathematics, logic, and moral philosophy, and a Gold Medal for mathematics, and was later elected a fellow of the college He was elected a scholar of Trinity, Cambridge in 1871 and took his degree as second wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos of 1874, being also first Smith's prizeman in the same year. In those days the Smith's prizes were awarded as the result of a special mathematical examination and not, as at present, for essays. Ball was elected a fellow of Trinity in 1875, with the late Professor James Ward, and was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1876, going the South-Eastern Circuit and practising as an equity draftsman and conveyancer. He was the author of a "Student's Guide to the Bar." His career as a barrister, however, did not last long.
In 1877, during the illness of Professor W. K. Clifford, professor of applied mathematics at University College, London, Ball acted as his deputy, and in 1878 he returned to Cambridge, at the invitation of his old college, as a lecturer in mathematics. In 1880 he was appointed assistant tutor. In 1891 he was appointed to the newly created post of Director of Mathematical Studies in the College, and in 1898 senior tutor and chairman of the education committee of the College Council. He served on numerous university and college boards and committees and acted on various occasions as moderator of the Mathematical Tripos It fell to him in 1890 to announce that Miss Philipps Fawcett, of Newnham, was above the Senior Wrangler." He was auditor of the University Chest, and valued member for several years of the University Financial Board, and representative of the University on the Cambridge Borough Council, the Watch Committee, the Assessment Committee, and Storey's Trustees. He also served on the governing bodies of Westminster School and the Perse School, Cambridge.
Outside Cambridge, Ball was best known as the author of works dealing with the history of the college and with the history of mathematics, the latter subject having, somewhat curiously, been generally neglected in Cambridge before he took it up. In addition to various memoirs and papers, he published a history of mathematics and a primer of the same subject, "Mathematical Recreations and Essays," "The Genesis and History of Newton's Principia," and "The History of Mathematical Studies at Cambridge." In connection with these historical researches, he formed a collection of portraits of mathematicians, which is believed to be the largest in Great Britain
Ball took a keen interest in rowing and was treasurer of the University Boat Club, of the First Trinity Boat Club, the history of which he wrote, and of other university and college societies. Naturally, the recent correspondence in The Times on Cambridge rowing attracted him, and we published on March 21 last a letter from him in which he showed that the Trinity Boat Club was founded in 1825 to put the sport on a permanent college basis. Before that, it had been carried on informally by private combinations. Ball also founded the Pentacle Club, an organization of Cambridge men interested in conjuring.
The funeral service will be in Trinity College Chapel on Wednesday at 2:30.
___________________________________________________
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir.
Your obituary yesterday of the late Mr. Rouse Ball contains, among other things, the statement that he was on the governing body of Westminster School as the oldest member of that body. I ask leave to supplement this bare statement.
Trinity College, Cambridge, has, during the 40 years for which I have been a governor, sent us some excellent representatives, but none better than the late M. Rouse Ball. He was constant in attendance and an excellent colleague. He acted as auditor of our accounts and took our finances under his special charge. With these, he was careful and prudent, but he never hesitated to recommend judicious outlay. Further, on all points connected with the School, he showed an insight and a sympathy as great as any of his colleagues, even those of us who were old members of the School. At our last meeting, on March 10, he showed all his usual acumen and interest, and it was with surprise as well as sorrow that I covered the account of his death. No doubt his presence will be much missed in several other gatherings, but I doubt if he will be more mourned anywhere than at Westminster.
Your obedient servant.
April 7. PHILLIMORE
