Ellixia - recounting Cornwall's forgotten history

He returned to Melbourne in 1890 where he became renowned for his dedication to his students and he published papers on the deformation of a spring, the stability of a wire, vibrations of a string and on streamlined processes where he solved a problem which had defeated many of the most famous scientists of the time including Helmholtz and Kirchhoff.

Later critical work addressed the wave resistance of a ship and hydraulics. In 1923, Michell became Professor of Pure and Mixed (Applied) Mathematics at Melbourne. Nine years after his retirement, Michell published his 2-volume ‘The Elements of Mathematical Analysis’ (1937). He is commemorated by the annual J. H. Michell Medal awarded by the Australian Mathematical Society.

	February 3^rd	John Henry Michell (Death)

	John Henry Michell (1863 – 1940) born of a Cornish family from Kenwyn, near Truro was a famous Australian mathematician. His parents emigrated to Australia as part of the Australian Gold Rush and Michell was born in the state of Victoria. Part of his upbringing was, however, back in Cornwall when the family returned to care for his elderly grandparents. Showing prodigious mathematical talent, Michell attended Wesley College in Melbourne and then the University of Melbourne, subsequently being encouraged to continue his mathematical studies at Cambridge. Since he would have been required to fund himself the entire family returned to England to reside in Cambridge. He graduated with high honours as one of the highest achieving in his class and was awarded a fellowship at Trinity College.
He returned to Melbourne in 1890 where he became renowned for his dedication to his students and he published papers on the deformation of a spring, the stability of a wire, vibrations of a string and on streamlined processes where he solved a problem which had defeated many of the most famous scientists of the time including Helmholtz and Kirchhoff. Later critical work addressed the wave resistance of a ship and hydraulics. In 1923, Michell became Professor of Pure and Mixed (Applied) Mathematics at Melbourne. Nine years after his retirement, Michell published his 2-volume ‘The Elements of Mathematical Analysis’ (1937). He is commemorated by the annual J. H. Michell Medal awarded by the Australian Mathematical Society.