sub-fonds C - Trinity College, Cambridge

Thomson's association with Trinity College, Cambridge began in 1876, when he arrived as an undergraduate to study Mathematics. After graduation in 1880 Thomson remained in Cambridge and undertook research in physics under Lord Rayleigh. He was made a Fellow of Trinity College in 1880, College lecturer in 1883 and in 1884 was appointed Professor of Experimental Physics at the Cavendish Laboratory. In 1918 Thomson was appointed Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, a position he held until his death in 1940. The material in this section relates entirely to the period of Thomson's Mastership, and is arranged as follows.

C/1-C/80: Correspondence. Received by Thomson on his appointment to the Mastership of Trinity College Cambridge in 1918 (C/1-C/10) and as Master 1918-1939 (C/11-C/80). Most of the correspondence relates to a wide range of College matters including students, Fellows, meetings, lectureships, appointments to Church livings held by the College, gifts and endowments etc., but the material also includes personal and business letters and correspondence and papers for other bodies on which Thomson served, most notably the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. There is a very little posthumous material relating to Thomson's Mastership.

C/81-C/130: Invitations received by the Thomsons, as well as replies to invitations to College social events hosted by the Thomsons between 1918 and 1938.

There are also a small number of Trinity College entrance examination papers and scripts from Dec 1937: C/131-C/137

See also A/161-165.