Thomas Turner Tate

Thomas Turner Tate (1807–1888) was an English mathematical and scientific educator and writer. Largely self-taught, he has been described as "a remarkable pioneer of science and mathematics teaching".

Born at Alnwick on 28 February 1807, he was son of Ralph Tate, a builder; his mother's maiden name was Turner, and George Tate was his brother. Initially expected to take up his father's business, he studied under an architect in Edinburgh.

After his father's death, Tate changed direction from 1830. He lectured to local evening classes. In 1835 he was the appointed lecturer on chemistry to the medical school in York. York Medical Society was founded in 1834; the Medical School in fact was founded formally in 1838, and then lasted for about three decades.

In 1840 Tate became master of the mathematical and scientific department at the Battersea teacher training college; this was a private venture founded in 1839–40 by James Kay-Shuttleworth. Kay-Shuttleworth recruited Tate and two Scots, William Horne and Walter McLeod, to launch what was a new initiative in training, and textbook writing. Tate went on to write educational works on mathematics, mechanics, drawing, and natural science. His Principles of Geometry, Mensuration, Trigonometry, Land Surveying, and Levelling (London, 1848) was translated into Hindustani.

In 1849 Tate obtained a similar post at the Kneller Hall training college. Its foundation was an initiative of the principal Frederick Temple, but the staff were few: Francis Turner Palgrave was vice-principal, Tate taught mathematics and science, and James Tilliard languages, geography and music. The mission was to instruct teachers for paupers (i.e. those in workhouses). For a period Temple led discussion at Kneller Hall of radical education reform, with his friend Ralph Lingen and others. The flow of visitors there was closely linked to Balliol College, Oxford, and also literary circles.

With Temple, Tate worked to select chemical and electrical equipment for school science teaching, and a government grant was made available to subsidise its sale.

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