St John's College News
Fred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionA History of Hoyle in 10 Objects 8: Hoyle's Family The Hoyle Collection includes many personal and family items that reveal the details of Hoyle's everyday life. These X-rays show the wisdom teeth of Barbara Hoyle, Fred's wife. The dentist's letter accompanying them X-rays notes that 'One day it might be necessary to consider removing them but for the present I feel inclined to advise you…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionA History of Hoyle in 10 Objects 7: Mountain Climbing and Other Hobbies Hoyle was a keen hill walker and mountain climber, who 'bagged' all of the Scottish Munros (mountains over 3,000 feet in height). In 1998 the Scottish Mountaineering Club wrote to Hoyle to ask if he would like to be included on the list of those who have completed all of the Munros (see the letter). Hoyle's reply does…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionA History of Hoyle in 10 Objects 6: Musical Endeavours This is part of the score to an opera written by Fred Hoyle (libretto) and Leo Smit (music). The Alchemy of Love, or the Daemon Servant's Retribution was premiered in New York in 1969. The opera starts with an alchemist discovering the true way to make gold from base metals. This gold has magical powers which affect anyone who holds it.…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionA History of Hoyle in 10 Objects 5: Dear Dr Hoyle This letter was written to Fred Hoyle by a young fan who had read his popular science book Highlights in Astronomy, published in 1975. Hoyle was the author of several scientific books, as well as nineteen published science fiction works. Find out more: Hoyle's writing. Hoyle in 10 Objects: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 Hoyle's Youth |…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionA History of Hoyle in 10 Objects 4: The Institute of Theorteical Astronomy and Hoyle's life in Cambridge This is Hoyle's own design for a new building on Madingley Road in Cambridge. In 1966 the University of Cambridge and several external funding bodies came to an agreement to create an Institute of Theoretical Astronomy (IoTA), of which Hoyle would be the Director. Construction of the…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionA History of Hoyle in 10 Objects 3: Stellar Nucleosynthsis and the Nobel Prize Pasadena, CA November 3, 1983 Dear Fred, After the initial elation and excitement I have had a heavy heart for two weeks. It is impossible to understand why the prize was not given to you or shared between us. I realize that nothing I can write will help but this personal note to you helps relieve my own feelings…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionA History of Hoyle in 10 Objects 3: Stellar Nucleosynthsis and the Nobel Prize This letter was written to Fred Hoyle by his close friend and colleague Willy Fowler after the announcement that Fowler had been awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize for Physics. Fowler worked at the Kellogg Radiation Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, and was awarded the prize for his work on stellar…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionA History of Hoyle in 10 Objects 2: An Annotated Book In January and February 1950 Hoyle gave a series of five lectures about astronomy on BBC radio. The series, titled The Nature of the Universe, was immensely popular; the lectures were immediately published as a book and were re-broadcast several times over the next ten years. The Nature of the Universe made Fred Hoyle a household name, and…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionA History of Hoyle in 10 Objects 1: A Childhood Letter This letter was written by Fred Hoyle to his father when Fred was about 15 years old. Fred and his mother Mabel were visiting friends in Dartford. During their stay they visited Clarksons optical stores on High Holborn in central London, and bought a telescope. This letter describes the first time Fred used the telescope, including…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionA History of Hoyle in 10 Objects These 10 objects were discovered during the cataloguing of the Hoyle Papers from March 2008 to March 2011. They particularly caught the interest and imagination of the Hoyle Project Associate, and tell the story of Hoyle's life and work, illuminating both his achievements and personality. They were displayed in St John's College Old Library on Saturday 19th…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionContact Information For more information about the Hoyle Collection at St John's College Library please contact the Special Collections: Special Collections The Library St John's College Cambridge CB2 1TP England Telephone: 01223 339393 Email: Special Collections Hoyle's Youth | Hoyle in Cambridge | Steady-State Universe | Stellar …read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionMore Information about Fred Hoyle Online Resources The Hoyle Project: find out more about Hoyle's papers, and Hoyle events at St John's College. Institute of Astronomy: the modern-day successor to Hoyle's Institute of Theoretical Astronomy. Hoyle.org.uk has information about Hoyle's life and work, and full lists of his publications. Autobiography The Small World of Fred Hoyle (London: Michael…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionExhibition Contents Exhibition HomeThematic exhibitionHoyle's YouthThe Hoyle FamilyChemical BalanceScholarship Examination PapersA Letter to his FatherHoyle's TelescopeHoyle in Cambridge'Student's Distinction'Fred and Geoff HoyleSteady-State UniverseHoyle, Bondi and GoldA New Model for the Expanding UniverseStellar NucleosynthesisHoyle's NotebookThe r-ProcessB-squared-F-HHoyle vs Ryle'A Professor…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHonours and Medals Crafoord Prize In 1997 Fred Hoyle was awarded the Crafoord Prize in Astronomy and Mathematics for his “pioneering contributions to the study of nuclear processes in stars and stellar evolution”. The joint recipient of the award was Edwin E. Salpeter, J.G. White Professor Emeritus of Physical Sciences at Cornell University. Kalinga Prize | Sir Fred | Royal Medal |…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHonours and Medals Royal Medal The Royal Medals of the Royal Society, also known as the Queen's Medals, are awarded annually by the Sovereign on the recommendation of the Council of the Society. Three medals are awarded each year. One of the three for 1974 was awarded to Hoyle in recognition of his "distinguished contributions to theoretical physics and cosmology". The other two winners…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHonours and Medals Sir Fred Hoyle’s Knighthood was announced in the New Year Honours list on 1 January 1972. This is the letter he received from the office of the Prime Minister, informing him of the Prime Minister’s intentions and asking if he would be willing to accept the Honour. Kalinga Prize | Sir Fred | Royal Medal | Crafoord Prize Hoyle's Youth | Hoyle in Cambridge | Steady-State…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHonours and MedalsKalinga PrizeIn 1967 Hoyle received the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science. He and Barbara travelled together to New Delhi, India, for the award ceremony. In his acceptance speech Hoyle talked of his impressions of India, about scientific and technological development, and about the importance of astronomy as a scientific discipline.Kalinga Prize | Sir Fred…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHonours and MedalsHoyle received numerous honours and awards throughout his career. He became Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge in 1958, the year after he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. He was also the recipient of honorary degrees from the Universities of East Anglia, Leeds, Bradford and Newcastle upon Tyne.Kalinga Prize | Sir Fred…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHoyle the Polymath Hoyle at the Opera Hoyle became friends with the American composer and pianist Leo Smit (1921-1999) after they met in 1953. They worked together on a number of projects including an opera, The Alchemy of Love and an oratorio, Copernicus: Narrative and Credo. Smit sent Hoyle this musical birthday greeting for his fiftieth birthday in July 1965. Hoyle in the Hills | Hoyle at…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHoyle in the Hills Hoyle was a keen hill walker and mountain climber, who ‘bagged’ all of the Scottish Munros (mountains over 3,000 feet in height). He annotated his maps of Scotland to show the locations of the Munros, sometimes ticking off those that he had climbed. This example is from a one-inch-to-one-mile map of Loch Maree and Achnasheen (Ordnance Survey map of Scotland number 26).…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHoyle the Polymath Hoyle was a man of many interests and many talents. He was a keen chess player, and took an interest in the workings of early chess-playing computers. He would apply his intellect to any issue that caught his attention, including the problem of smog in Los Angeles, and the question of the date of Earth’s next Ice Age. He was also a successful science-fiction author.…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHoyle the Writer Opinions About Writing In 1975 Hoyle was invited to participate in an evening discussion event alongside science-fiction author Ray Bradbury. They took the stage together for “The promise of science fiction: prophetic or profane” on Wednesday 26 February 1975 at the California Institute of Technology. In his opening remarks, Hoyle gave vent to his opinions on science fiction…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHoyle the Writer Whodunnit? During the 1990s Hoyle wrote a series of 36 short detective novels. The main character is Magnus Warboys, Carrington Professor of Catastrophe Theory at the University of Cambridge. Fluent in French and an Olympic-standard fencer, Warboys is a glamorous, dare-devil hero who investigates all manner of strange goings-on in the University and beyond. The stories…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHoyle the Writer Into Deepest Space In 1962 the Mermaid Theatre in London staged a production of Hoyle's play for children, Rockets in Ursa Major. It was reworked by Fred and Geoffrey Hoyle and published as a novel by Heinemann in 1969. In 1974 it was followed by a somewhat darker sequel, Into Deepest Space. This draft of the opening of Into Deepest Space shows Fred Hoyle's manuscript…read moreFred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
13/09/2011Fred Hoyle: An Online ExhibitionHoyle the Writer Fred Hoyle wrote nineteen works of science fiction, many in collaboration with his son, Geoffrey, including one volume of short stories, and four children’s ‘Ladybird’ books. Hoyle’s first science fiction novel The Black Cloud, was published in 1957. In the story the Earth is visited by the eponymous being, a sentient cloud of organic molecules from interstellar space. In an…read more