About
Irish-British physicist notable for his studies concerning electrical charge and electric conduction in gases. He made the first direct measurement of the electrical charge. His discovery of the phenomenon of the electron avalanche is called the Townsend discharge. He was Wykeham Professor of physics at the University of Oxford. In 1914, he was awarded the Hughes Medal for his discoveries.
Before Fame
He studied at Trinity College, Dublin and graduated with a BA in mathematics in 1890. He later became a research student at Trinity College, Cambridge.
Trivia
He was knighted in 1941 and retired that same year. He wrote a number of books on his research, including The Theory of Ionisation of Gases by Collision, Electricity and Radio Transmission, and Electromagnetic waves.
Family Life
He was born to Edward and Judith Townsend in Galway, Ireland. He and his wife, May Georgiana Lambert, had two sons.
Associated With
He was a student at Trinity College, Cambridge at the same time as Ernest Rutherford.
