Education
Eton College; Edinburgh Academy. Trinity College.
Eton College; Edinburgh Academy. Trinity College.
He succeeded Thomson"s father James in the Chair of Mathematics. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy and Eton before entering Trinity College, Cambridge in 1840. During this time he invented the Blackburn pendulum.
In the Mathematical Tripos examinations of 1845 he graduated fifth wrangler, while Thomson graduated second wrangler.
He entered the Inner Temple in 1847, but was never called to the Bar. His name was withdrawn in 1849, the year in which he became Professor of Mathematics at the University of Glasgow.
There he met Thomson, who entered in the same year. He was also a member of the Cambridge Apostles.