4.
Professor and Laboratory
The
first Professor, James Clerk Maxwell, was appointed
before the Laboratory was built. He travelled to laboratories
in Glasgow and Oxford before making suggestions about
the design to the architect, W.M. Fawcett. Construction
began at the site in Free School Lane when Loveday of
Kibworth's tender of £8,450 was accepted on 12th
March 1872.
During
construction Maxwell began teaching in any other rooms
that were available. He described the experience: "Laboratory
rising, I hear, but I have no place to erect my chair,
but move about like the cuckoo." By the end of
1873 teaching had begun in the completed Lecture Hall
and student laboratories.
The
Laboratory for Experimental Physics was opened on 16th
June 1874. Nine days later the recently founded journal
'Nature' published a full description of the new laboratory,
noting the inscription on the doors, 'Magna opera Domini
exquisita in omnes voluntates ejus', meaning 'The works
of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have
pleasure therein'.
During
its construction the Laboratory had been known as the
Devonshire Laboratory. At its opening it was suggested
that the Laboratory be given the name 'Cavendish', in
honour of the contributions made to physics by Henry
Cavendish, the Duke's relative. It was agreed, and the
Cavendish Laboratory was named.
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