Image of Sir Oliver Lodge, in metal bas relief.
It is possible this sculpture was created as a memorial to Lodge following his death, perhaps commissioned by the Spiritualist Church.
Bas relief sculpture of Sir Oliver Lodge
This material is held atUniversity of Birmingham, Cadbury Research Library, Special Collections
- Reference
- GB 150 MS990
- Dates of Creation
- [c 1940]
- Language of Material
- English
- Physical Description
- 1 item
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Oliver (Joseph) Lodge (1851-1940) was born in Penkull, Staffordshire in 1851, the eldest of eight sons and a daughter of Oliver Lodge of Wolstanton, Staffordshire and his wife, Grace (nee Heath). His siblings included Alfred Lodge (1854-1937), mathematician, Frank Lodge, Sir Richard Lodge (1855-1936), historian and Eleanor Constance Lodge (1869-1936), historian and principal of Westfield College, London. Oliver was educated at Newport Grammar School, Shropshire and University College, London and was awarded a DSc in 1877. He was appointed as Professor of Physics at the University College, Liverpool, 1881-1900 and then became Principal of the University, 1900-1919.
As a scientist, his research included the development of the wireless and telegraphy and experiments on relative motion of matter and ether. His psychical research was also influential. He published extensively and his publications included 'The Ether of Space' (1909); 'Making of Man' (1924); 'Advancing Science' (1931); 'Past Years, an autobiography' (1931).
He served as President of a range of societies including President of the Society for Psychical Research, 1901-1904 and 1932 and President of the British Association, 1913-1914. He received numerous awards including honorary degrees from British and other universities, he was a Farady Medallist and he was knighted in 1902. He died on 22 August 1940.
He married Mary Fanny Alexander (nee Marshall, d 1929) and they had six sons and six daughters. Oliver William Foster (1878-1955) was his eldest son and Raymond, who was killed during the First World War, was his youngest son.
References: Dictionary of National Biography 1931-1940 (Oxford University Press, 1949); Oliver Lodge, Past Years. An Autobiography (London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1931)
Acquisition
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Acquisition Information
Presented, April 2021
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