Lord Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford was born in the small town of Spring Grove in Nelson, New Zealand. He was born on the date of August 30th, 1871 and died in Cambridge on the date of 19th October, 1937.
Ernest began his education at a primary school by name of Foxhill School. It was here where Ernest received his first science text book from which he performed numerous scientific experiments. In 1886, Ernest tried out for a scholarship to get into Nelson College. He failed to get the scholarship, however was taught by a clever country teacher. On his second attempt in 1887, he won the scholarship into Nelson College. In 1889, he was claimed as Dux of the School. During the same year, he also received a scholarship to go study at Canterbury College (now known as Canterbury University) which was administrated by the University of New Zealand. He studied at Canterbury for four years.
Ernest Rutherford.
The Lord Rutherford of Nelson's signature
A plaque commemorating Rutherford's presence at th...At the end of the four years at the college, he had earned a Master of Arts degree with Double First Class Honours in Mathematics, Mathematical Physics and Physical Science.
He then furthered his study by working at educational institutions all over the globe.
Rutherford's parents were both from Europe coming to work in New Zealand. His father, James Rutherford, came from Scotland with his grandfather and the rest of his family at the age of four. In New Zealand, James learnt how to become a wheelwright, engineer and flax-miller. Ernest's mother, Nèe Martha Thompson, came to New Zealand from England with her widowed mother at the age of thirteen. In New Zealand, she studied to become a teacher. With Ernest's mother as a teacher, she always ensured he received a good education along with Ernest's other eleven brother and sisters. Later on in...