Forsyth

Arthur Russell Forsyth

Born: 18 June 1858 in Glasgow, Scotland
Died: 2 June 1942 in London, England

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Arthur Forsyth studied under Cayley and graduated from Cambridge in 1881. In 1893 he published Theory of Functions which had such an impact at Cambridge that function theory dominated there for many years. However the reputation of the book outside Britain was not high.

On Cayley's death Forsyth was appointed to his chair in 1895. However his preference for technical mastery rather than rigorous analysis meant that he failed to inspire future pure mathematicians. Forsyth was elected to the Royal Society in 1886. He had a love affair with the wife of C.V. Boys and the scandal of 1910 forced him to resign his chair. He eventually found another post, being appointed to the chair in Imperial College London.

References:

  1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  2. E H Neville, Arthur Russell Forsyth, J. London Math. Soc. 17 (1942), 237-256.
  3. E T Whittaker, Arthur Russell Forsyth, Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society of London 4 (1942-44), 209-227. 
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JOC/EFR February 1996