Strutt, Robert John (4th Baron Rayleigh) (1875-1947)

Physicist and president of the Society for Psychical Research of London from 1937 to 1938. Strutt was born on August 28, 1875, at Witham, Essex, England, the son of John William Strutt. He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, England (B.A. 1897, M.A. 1901), and like his notable father majored in physics. He was variously a fellow of Trinity College (1900-1906), professor of physics at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, Kensington (1908-19), and president of the Royal Institution of Great Britain (1945-47). Financially independent, he was able to create a private laboratory at which he conducted research for much of his life. He published one of the first volumes on radioactivity. Also like his father, Strutt had an intense interest in psychic research, which gave the subject some standing with fellow scientists.

He died December 13, 1947.

Sources:

Berger, Arthur S., and Joyce Berger. The Encyclopedia of Parapsychology and Psychical Research. New York: Paragon House, 1991.

Pleasants, Helene, ed. Biographical Dictionary of Parapsychology. New York: Helix Press, 1964.

Strutt, Robert John. "A Method of Silhouette Photography by Infra-Red Rays for Use in Mediumistic Investigation." Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 41, 128 (1932).

——. "The Problem of Physical Phenomena in Connection with Psychical Research." Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 152 (1938).

——. "The Question of Lights Supposed to Have Been Observed near the Poles of a Magnet." Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 153 (1938-39).

——. "Some Recollections of Henry Sidgwick." Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 44, 156 (1936-39).