Frame for Temporary Roof Over Carslaw Building Courtyard

This image was published in The University of Sydney News Vol 17 No 12 (p. 91).

This item is part of the History Hike with the Archives, a history walk around the Camperdown and Darlington campuses of the University.

Some Abstruse Problem in Mathematics

The construction of the Carslaw Building is linked to the more extensive project to develop the Eastern Avenue area.

On 3 September 1956, the Senate recorded the report of the Policy and Planning Committee who noted that, “The Committee has been concerned primarily with the long term grouping of buildings within the University, and in particular with what use, if any, could be made of the area lying between Eastern Avenue and the Victoria Park boundary on the eastern margin of the University. The land available is sufficient to provide for the erection of four major blocks of buildings, the first with its southern boundary approximately in line with the southern wall of the main building; the second, third and fourth lying approximately opposite to the Old Medical School, the New Chemistry School and the C.S.I.R.O. Radio Physics Laboratory respectively. The Committee reports that in its opinion no building should be built on the first of these sites (that opposite the southern end of the main building). It considers that site two, three and four should be built on successively and in view of priorities already allotted for future buildings, recommends that site two (that opposite the Old Medical School) be used for the proposed University Library…The Committee recommends that site three should be used for the erection of a Science Block with at the present time it is intended would accommodate the Department of Geology and probably the Department of Mathematics. [Ref 1].

In the intervening time between the above meeting and the meeting held by the Senate on 7 July 1958, there had been a, “…Committee appointed to prepare a Developmental Plan for Submission to the Senate” in order to, “…produce a general plan and to programme in stages for the orderly physical development of the University. Some of the planning problems which it is examining are, the relationship between…and…the areas and type of space required for each faculty, group of departments or general University facilities; the existing buildings, open spaces and other features which should be retained; garden spaces and the road system; and the shape of buildings in very general terms”. It reported that, “The approximate area of the site bounded by Eastern Avenue, University Avenue, Victoria Park and City Road is 330,000 square feet… The proposed height of six storeys for the blocks…is considered a reasonable maximum in relation to the architectural scale suggested by the new Chemistry School and the need to preserve the dominance of the Carillon Tower in the University skyline…A site for the Law School has been suggested to the south of the new Library, followed by buildings for the Departments of Geology and Pure and Applied Mathematics. At this point, and to the south of the proposed Mathematics Building…The Pre-Professional Courses building is sited on the southern end of the site with provision for future expansion towards the City Road frontage… The committee has discussed the proposed building for Pre-Professional Courses, and recommends that sketch plans for the Pre-Professional Courses building be prepared forthwith… The committee envisages that the Pre-Professional Courses building will be built so as to be flexible in its use. The proposed floor space for Stage I of 100,000 square feet has been approved by the Heads of the Departments in the Faculty of Science who assumed that a new building will be erected to accommodate the staff and students other than first year students in the Departments of Geology and Geophysics and Mathematics. The committee has agreed that the Pre-Professional Courses building should be begun as soon as possible… The Vice-Chancellor then moved that the architectural firm of Stafford, Moor and Farrington be appointed architects to prepare sketch plans and report on the proposed building, it being understood that the first portion of the building to be erected will be limited to an expenditure of £500,000. [Ref 2].

On 6 April 1959, the Senate approved, “…that the Pre-professional and Mathematics building be named the “Carslaw Building””. [Ref 3].

On 6 July 1959, the Senate reported that, "The preparation of plans for the Mathematics Building is already in hand by the Architects (Stafford, Moor & Farrington) as part of the Carslaw Building" [Ref 4], however, just a few months later, on 7 September 1959, the Buildings and Grounds and Developmental Planning Committees, noted that, "...the committees considered various proposals for the re-siting of the Edgeworth David Building and the Carslaw Building in order to site a new building for the Faculty of Law...". [Ref 5]. The proposed relocation of Carslaw Building was ultimately not approved as the Vice-Chancellor & Principal's report for the 1961, "...anticipated that the entire building will be occupied towards the end of April or the beginning of May, 1962, and will be used for teaching purposes as from the beginning of Trinity Term, 1962". [Ref 6].

The foundation stone was laid on 3 August 1961, when the Chancellor, Sir Charles Bickerton Blackburn, said, “Though we are a small gathering, we have come here to commemorate a very important occasion in the development of this University, to commemorate the Carslaw Building which is, when completed, likely to be one of the largest buildings in the University, and certainly the tallest…The building, which is on its way is, as most of you know, specially designed to house the whole School of Mathematics…therefore it is extremely appropriate that the School should be…named after Horatio Scott Carslaw, who was Professor of Mathematics with this University from 1903 to 1935. During that time he developed what was when he came here just a comparatively small department of mathematics into a school…that became famous throughout the world…I personally am very gratified…because from almost the time he arrived here he was a very personal friend of mine…I got to know him very well and was a great friend of his up to the last of his life…We had very much in common, expect in our reaction to Mathematics; personally my view of Mathematics has always been that it is a very tedious but very necessary foundation of knowledge. As far as he was concerned it was almost the be-all and end-all of life. When he retired…to my amazement I used to come and find that he used to spend hours working out some abstruse problem in Mathematics – about the last and most uninteresting thing, to my point of view, that he could be doing. Well, I am very glad indeed that this is going to be the Carslaw Building. I feel that in doing so the University is paying a great tribute to a man who did a very great deal for the University. They are paying a tribute to a great mathematician and to a very gracious, lovable gentleman”. [Ref 7].

Carslaw's career with the University began with his appointment on 3 November 1902, when the Senate, “…proceeded to the election of a gentleman to fill the Chair of Mathematics which will become vacant on the 31st of December…The following cable message was received from the Agent General: - “Inform Sydney University Professor of Mathematics. Professors are unanimous that it would be unfortunate and damaging to University now to go beyond selected names. Please telegraph as soon as anything is settled. Candidates are anxious to know…it was moved…and seconded…That Dr Carslaw be appointed “to the vacant office”. [Ref 8]. This was followed by confirmation on 2 February 1903 that, “A letter was received from the Agent General in London stating that Dr. Carslaw, the newly appointed Professor of Mathematics, had made arrangements to leave England so as to reach Sydney on the 14th March”. [Ref 9].

On 2 July 1934, the Senate noted that, “Having been notified of Professor Carslaw’s intention to retire from the Chair of Mathematics in February, 1935, the Senate…placed on record its high appreciation of the invaluable service rendered by him to the University during his occupancy of the Chair for a period of more than thirty years. During that time Professor Carslaw has built up a Department of Mathematics which has been prominent in producing scholars of distinguished merit. The Senate also congratulates Professor Carslaw on the distinction he has brought not only to himself but also to the University of Sydney by his researches and published works. The Senate hopes that he will be long spared to enjoy his retirement, after completing an academic life marked with worthy and honourable service. [Ref 10].

On 5 November 1934, the Senate, “On the motion of the Vice-Chancellor…unanimously resolved that Professor H.S. Carslaw be appointed Emeritus Professor of Mathematics from 1st March, 1935”. [Ref 11].

Carslaw clearly made dear friends at the University as he kept up a steady stream of correspondence with many even after retirement. In one of his letters, dated 26 April 1940, he wrote to, “Mr dear Selle, It occurs to me that my academic robes might be of some use to the University on occasion of ceremony and I would be happy to hand them over to you…They have been here since I returned from Cambridge in Oct. 1936 and are in good order…I would bring them to the University when I am next in Sydney, if this offer is accepted. But I do not wish any publicity about the offer and I make it thus informally to you now. I expect to be down soon for a day or two and to stay at the Australian Club…Between my garden and paddock, books of all sorts, including Mathematics, and the quiet of the country here, I keep well; and celebrated my 70th birthday two months ago”. [Ref 12].

But, on 7 February 1955, the Senate noted the death of Carslaw, which, “…occurred on November 11, 1954…Carslaw served the University of Sydney through a period of great expansion. He has precisely that balance of qualities which best fit a man to raise a small Department to a School of Mathematics with a world-wide reputation for its published work and for the quality of its graduates. He had a vigorous personality of the type around which legends collect: he was a mathematical scholar of distinction with a gift for clear exposition; he was enthusiastic in his mathematics and aroused enthusiasm in his students”. [Ref 13].

Ref 1: Senate Minutes 1955 to 1957 (07/11/1955 to 04/03/1957), pp. 288-289, [REF-00070370]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 2: Senate Minutes 1957 to 1958 (Apr 1957 to 1958), pp. 441-443, [REF-00070371]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 3: Senate Minutes 1958 to 1959 (1958 to 1959), p. 170, [REF-00070372]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 4: see Ref 3, p. 329.

Ref 5: see Ref 3, p. 374.

Ref 6: Senate Minutes 1961 to 1962 (1961 to 1962), p. 270 (PDF), [REF-00070375]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 7: Carslaw Building (1961), [REF-00043383]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 8: Senate Minutes December 1898 to July 1904 (05/12/1898 to 08/07/1904), p. 319, [REF-00002755]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 9: see Ref 8, p. 339.

Ref 10: Senate Minutes March 1931 to July 1934 (02/03/1931 to 02/07/1934), p. 496, [REF-00000383]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 11: Senate Minutes August 1934 to December 1936 (13/08/1934 to 21/12/1936), p. 58, [REF-00000018]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 12: Carslaw, Horatio Scott (1932 to 1955), [REF-00046471]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 13: Senate Minutes 1954 to 1955 (05/07/1954 to 20/10/1955), pp. 193-194, [REF-00070369]. University of Sydney Archives.