Papers of Dr. Charles Edward Rhodes Bruce

The unsorted material is composed of: circa twelve notebooks of calculations and notes; miscellaneous files containing off-prints and photographs; two box-files containing copies ofA new approach in astronomy and cosmology, and article off-prints; and six audio cassette tapes (type C.60) of him talking about his work.

Charles Edward Rhodes Bruce was born in Shettleston, Glasgow, on 19 April 1902. He was educated in the village school at Newport, Fife, where he spent his childhood, followed by two years at Dundee High School and five years at Edinburgh University where he finished with First Class Honours in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. After attending Moray House Teachers' Training College, Edinburgh, Bruce joined the Electrical Research Association in 1924. At the ERA he made significant contributions to the early development of arc physics which in turn laid the foundations for the revolution in circuit-breaker technology led by ERA in the 1930s. His work set out in papers including one in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, made possible significant improvements in procedures for protection against lightning. He received the degree of D.Sc. from Edinburgh University. Bruce frequently wrote for journals in his field includingNature,Journal of the Institute of Electrical Engineers,The Engineer,Electronics and power,The observatory,Discovery, and theJournal of the Electrical Research Association. He retired from the ERA in 1967. Dr Charles E. R. Bruce died on 30 December 1979.

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.

Check the local Indexes for details of any additions.