Fred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
Hoyle's YouthChemical BalanceThe young Hoyle became interested in astronomy and physics from books he borrowed from the local library, including Arthur Eddington鈥檚 Stars and Atoms. His enquiring mind also became interested in chemistry and his father bought him some equipment. Fred was soon making gunpowder and noxious phosphine gas, and staging explosions that terrified his younger sister, Joan. Hoyle used his chemistry set to undertake sometimes dangerous experiments. When interviewed for a place at Bingley Grammar School, Hoyle explained his experiment to make phosphine gas to Alan Smailes, the Headmaster. Smailes was undoubtedly impressed by Hoyle鈥檚 scientific promise, but warned him that he wouldn鈥檛 鈥渂e doing that here鈥. The Hoyle Family | Chemical Balance | Scholarship Examination Papers | A Letter to his Father | Hoyle's Telescope | Further views of the balances: The Scales | The Weights |
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