Sir Arthur William Rucker (1848-1915)
1916 Obituary [1]
SIR ARTHUR WILLIAM RUCKER, F.R.S., died on the 1st November, 1915.
He was born in 1848 at Clapham and was educated at Clapham Grammar School and Brasenose College, Oxford. After taking his degree he became demonstrator in physics to Professor Clifton at the Clarendon Laboratory.
In 1874 he was appointed Professor of Mathematics and Physics at the Yorkshire College, Leeds, where he devoted considerable attention to research and also took an important part in the development of the College.
In 1886 he became Professor of Physics at the Royal College of Science, London, a position which he held until 1901, when he was appointed Principal of the University of London. He was knighted in the following year. During the seven years he was Principal considerable changes took place in the constitution and work of the University, amongst others, the incorporation of University College and King's College.
He retired in 1908.
He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1882, and served on the Council in 1887. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society, was awarded a Royal Medal in 1891, acted as one of the secretaries from 1896 to 1901, and from time to time contributed papers to the Transactions of the Society. In 1901 he was president of the British Association, having previously served as treasurer and as president of Section A.