George Ballard Mathews

Who was George Ballard Mathews?

George Ballard Mathews, FRS was an English mathematician.

He was born in London.He studied at the Ludlow Grammar School which had instruction in Hebrew and Sanscrit as well as in Greek and Latin. He proceeded to University College, London where Olaus Henrici made a memorable impression. He then took up preparation for Cambridge Mathematical Tripos under the guidance of William Henry Besant. He came out Senior Wrangler for 1883. He was elected a Fellow of St John's College.

In 1884 University College of North Wales was established under Principal Harry Reichel and Mathews as professor of mathematics. He taught alongside Andrew Gray, James Johnston Dobbie and Henry Stuart Jones. There he produced his first textbook, an introduction to number theory. In 1896, discouraged at the preparation and dedication of students, he resigned and moved to Cambridge.

Mathews was elected to the Royal Society in 1897. He worked as University Lecturer at Cambridge University. In 1906 he resigned from Cambridge.

Returning to Bangor, Wales, he again took up teaching at University College of North Wales. He produced his book Algebraic Equations in 1907. His book on projective geometry is noted for its attention to foundations and its exposition of Karl von Staudt’s approach to imaginary units. In 1915 Glasgow University bestowed an honorary L.L.D. upon him. In 1922 he and Andrew Gray published a book on Bessel's functions.