William Fishburn Donkin

William Fishburn Donkin FRS FRAS (16 February 1814 – 15 November 1869) was a British astronomer and mathematician, Savilian Professor of Astronomy at the University of Oxford.

Life He was born at Bishop Burton, Yorkshire, on 15 February 1814. His parents were Thomas Donkin (1776–1856) and Alice née Bateman (1784–1860). Two of his uncles were Bryan Donkin and Thomas Bateman. He was educated at St Peter's School, York, and in 1832 entered St Edmund Hall, Oxford. In 1834, Donkin won a classical scholarship at University College, in 1836 he obtained a double first in classics and mathematics, and a year later he carried off the mathematical and Johnson mathematical scholarships. He proceeded B.A. 25 May 1836, and M.A. 1839. He was elected as a fellow of University College, and he continued for about six years at St Edmund Hall in the capacity of mathematical lecturer.

In 1842, Donkin was elected Savilian professor of astronomy at Oxford, in succession to George Johnson, a post which he held for the remainder of his life. Soon afterwards he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and also of the Royal Astronomical Society. In 1844, he married the third daughter of the Rev. John Hawtrey of Guernsey. His last paper, a Note on Certain Statements in Elementary Works concerning the Specific Heat of Gases, appeared in 1864.