Joseph David Everett

Prof Joseph David Everett DCL, FRS, FRSE (1831–1904) was an English physicist, professor of natural philosophy at Queen's College, Belfast.

Life Born at Rushmere, near Ipswich, Suffolk, on 11 September 1831, he was the eldest son of Joseph David Everett, a landowner and farmer of Rushmere, by his wife Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John Garwood, a corn merchant in London; Robert Lacey Everett was a brother. He was educated at Mr. Buck's private school at Ipswich. On leaving school he attended classes in mathematics at the Ipswich Mechanics' Institution under Stephen Jackson, proprietor of the Ipswich Journal, who advised him to teach.

After a short experience of teaching at a private school at Newmarket, where he had Charles Haddon Spurgeon as a colleague, Everett became, in 1850, mathematical master at John Charles Thorowgood's school at Totteridge. In 1854 he gained one of Dr. Williams's bursaries and became a student at Glasgow College; he graduated B.A. in 1856 with honourable distinction in classics and mental philosophy, and M.A. in 1857 with distinction in physical science. He had thought of entering the ministry, but gave up the idea, and after acting for a short time as secretary of the Meteorological Society of Edinburgh, he became professor of mathematics in King's College, Windsor, Nova Scotia, in 1859.

Everett returned to Glasgow in 1864 as assistant to Hugh Blackburn, professor of mathematics in the university (1849–79), and worked for a time in Lord Kelvin's laboratory. From 1867 till his retirement in 1897 he was professor of natural philosophy at Queen's College, Belfast, serving on the council from 1875 to 1881.

Family Everett married on 3 September 1862 Jessie, daughter of Alexander Fraser, later of Ewing Place Congregational Church, Glasgow (of the Frasers of Kirkhill, Inverness), and left three daughters and three sons. The eldest was daughter Alice Everett (1865-1949), pioneering astronomer and engineer. The second son, Wilfred, became professor of engineering in the Government Engineering College, Shibpur, Calcutta.