Lewis Richardson

Lewis Fry Richardson
Lewis Fry Richardson D.Sc., FRS
Born	(1881-10-11)11 October 1881 Newcastle upon Tyne
Died	30 September 1953(1953-09-30) (aged 71) Kilmun, Argyll and Bute
Residence	England Scotland
Citizenship	United Kingdom
Fields	mathematician physicist meteorologist psychologist
Institutions	National Physical Laboratory National Peat Industries University College Aberystwyth Meteorological Office Paisley Technical College
Alma mater	Bootham School Durham College of Science King's College, Cambridge
Known for	Fractals Conflict modelling Richardson extrapolation
Influences	Karl Pearson G. F. C. Searle J. J. Thomson
Notable awards	Fellow of the Royal Society

Lewis Fry Richardson, FRS (11 October 1881 – 30 September 1953) was an English mathematician, physicist, meteorologist, psychologist and pacifist who pioneered modern mathematical techniques of weather forecasting, and the application of similar techniques to studying the causes of wars and how to prevent them. He is also noted for his pioneering work concerning fractals and a method for solving a system of linear equations known as modified Richardson iteration.

Lewis Fry Richardson was the youngest of seven children born to Catherine Fry (1838–1919) and David Richardson (1835–1913). They were a prosperous Quaker family, David Richardson operating a successful tanning and leather manufacturing business.

At age 12 he was sent to a Quaker boarding school, Bootham School in York, where he received an education in science, which stimulated an active interest in natural history. In 1898 he went on to Durham College of Science (a college of Durham University) where he took courses in mathematical physics, chemistry, botany, and zoology. He proceeded in 1900 to King’s College, Cambridge, where he was taught physics in the natural sciences tripos by (among others) J. J. Thomson and graduated with a first-class degree in 1903. At age 47 he received a doctorate in mathematical psychology from the University of London.