The English chemist and physicist

Michael Faraday was Born in Surrey, the son of a poor blacksmith. He was largely self-taught, never thought too highly of

himself but was essentially a very happy man. He is best known today for his

research into elctricity and magnetism. His reputation, in his own time, was based on his remarkable lecturing skills; the public at the time looked on electricity as a useful toy and was more interested in the more useful inventions of Stephenson and Joule. He was apprenticed to a bookbinder in 1805. Having attended a lecture by

Humpray Davy, he presented Davy with a bound version of the lecture. Davy was so impressed with the detailed notes and drawings that he offered him a job as a

laboratory assistant. From there on the

relationship between the greatest

scientists of their day flourished. He also collaborated with the mathematician,

James Clerk Maxwell who expressed many of Faraday´s ideas in mathematical form.

1791 - 1867

Michael