John Tyndall: Science and the State in Victorian Britain

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the British state largely took a laissez-faire approach to many of its domestic interests, including much of the running of towns and cities. However, by the end of the Victorian era it had new and expanding national policies in place which were undertaken with the advice of scientific figures, utilising the latest research and technologies, and affecting all—especially those who lived in urban areas.

In my thesis I will research how such a dramatic change took place. I especially want to examine the arguments put forth by both the scientific and political figures of the day, and see what they wrote of the grand changes around them. On the political/national side will be MPs, department heads, officials of the armed forces, etc. Meanwhile, the Irish physicist John Tyndall will serve as the main scientific figure, for he was at the heart of Victorian science for decades, and worked with and influenced many important scientific and political figures of his day.

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