Dates

• Existence: 1905 - 1984

Biography

Dr. John Macnaghten Whittaker was Vice Chancellor of the University of Sheffield from 1953 to 1965. He was a mathematician who studied Maths and Physics at the University of Edinburgh as well as Trinity College Cambridge. He was an Assistant Lecturer in Mathematics at Edinburgh between 1927 and 1929 and then fellow and lecturer at Pembroke College, Cambridge, before becoming Professor of Pure Maths at Liverpool in 1933. Whittaker served during the Second World War, serving in the Royal Artillery and rising to Lieutenant Colonel and scientific advisor to the Army Council. He became Dean of Science at Liverpool from 1947 to 1950. Whilst at Sheffield Whittaker became a member of the Education Committee, the Cathedral Council and was a Church Burgess and Governor of the United Hospitals. During his period of tenure the university expanded from 2500 to 7000 students and in 1954 hosted a visit by Queen Elizabeth II. He was was given the Freedom of the City, a rare honour. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society (elected 1949), Royal Society of Edinburgh, and Pembroke College. Source The University of Sheffield 'Firth Hall portraits' and 'Steel City Scholars' Helen Mathers; Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society

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