Edward John Routh

Edward John Routh was an English mathematician, born on 20 January 1831, noted as the outstanding coach of students preparing for the Mathematical Tripos examination of the University of Cambridge in its heyday in the middle of the nineteenth century. He also did much to systematise the mathematical theory of mechanics and created several ideas critical to the development of modern control systems theory. Born at Quebec City in the British colony of Lower Canada, to an English father and a French-Canadian mother, he came to England aged eleven, attended University College School and entered University College, London in 1847 having won a scholarship. He died on 7 June 1907.