James Clerk Maxwell Foundation

The James Clerk Maxwell Foundation is a registered Scottish charity set up in 1977. By supporting physics and mathematics, it honours one of the greatest of physicists, James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879), and works to increase the public awareness of science. It maintains a small museum in Maxwell's birthplace which is in the ownership of the Foundation.

The James Clerk Maxwell Foundation aims to increase the public awareness of the many scientific advances made by Maxwell over his lifetime and to highlight their importance in the world today. It summarises Maxwell's many innovative technical advances and displays, in Maxwell’s birthplace, the history of Maxwell's family. The Foundation awards grants and prizes and supports mathematical challenges designed to encourage young students to study as mathematicians, scientists and engineers and become leaders in the world tomorrow.

The James Clerk Maxwell Foundation was formed in 1977 by the late Sydney Ross, Professor of Colloidal chemistry at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, USA. Ross was born in Scotland and he inherited monies from his late father’s whisky business, Ross, Campbell Ltd.

In 1993, the Foundation acquired 14 India Street, Edinburgh, the birthplace of Maxwell.

Since 1993, the house has been refurbished to its original standard and a small museum has been developed which features Maxwell’s family, life and scientific advances. These have resulted in Maxwell now being recognised as the most famous scientist in the era between Newton and Einstein.

Maxwell was born at 14 India Street on 13 June 1831. This four-floor townhouse has 3–4 rooms on each floor. The Foundation lets the basement and top floor to tenants and maintains on the ground and first floor a modest museum which can be opened for visits by prior appointment.

Maxwell’s father, John Clerk Maxwell of Middlebie, had previously inherited the Middlebie estate near Corsock in Galloway, southwest Scotland, and he divided his time between Galloway and his 1820s townhouse in Edinburgh’s New Town. In 1830, John Clerk Maxwell commenced building a new house at Nether Corsock Farm, part of the Middlebie estate, and he would later name this Glenlair House.. The Clerk Maxwell family moved permanently to Glenlair when James was two years old. Maxwell’s mother died when he was only eight years old and, two years later, he returned to Edinburgh to attend school at the Edinburgh Academy.

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