Person

James, William Edwin (1931 - 1995)

Born: 6 March 1931
England
Died: 25 May 1995
Occupation: Physicist and Optics

Summary

William James founded the company 'James Optics' in Melbourne in 1968, making equipment for Monash University, Mount Stromlo Observatory, the Anglo-Australian Telescope and the Orroral Space Ranging Observatory.

Details

Born 6 March 1931. Died 25 May 1995. AM 1989. Arrived Melbourne 1947. Apprentice, Macphersons 1947-48, Leaving Certificate 1949-50, University of Melbourne 1951-54 (studied science, but did not graduate), repertory theatre, Victoria 1954-55,worked with Hargreaves' optical firm, London 1961-62, Imperial College London, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, optical technician then senior technical officer, Physics Department, University of Tasmania 1965-68, founded James Optics 1968. Churchill Fellowship 1975, Lloyd Rees Lecture, Australian Academy of Science 1993.

Related Corporate Bodies

Australian Academy of Science (1954 - )
Delivered the 1993 Lloyd Rees Lecture, hosted by the Australian Academy of Science.
The University of Tasmania (1890 - )
William James was a senior technical officer within the Physics Department at The University of Tasmania from 1965 until 1968.

Date: 1965 - 1968

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

William Edwin James - Records, 1962 - 1964, MS 137; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, Melbourne, 2012, https://www.eoas.info/exhibitions/basser/basser_browse.html. Details

Journal Articles

Bolton, H.C.; Coates, D.W., 'William Edwin James: Designer and Maker of Astronomical Optics', Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 13 (1996), 258-267. Details

Resources

'James, William Edwin (1931-1995)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1474904. Details

Resource Sections

'James, W.E. - Ms 137', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms137.html. Details

McCarthy, G.J.

Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 13 February 2018

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EOAS ID: biogs/P000520b.htm

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