Smithsonian Institution

Date:
May-Sep 1961
Reference:
PENROSE/3/18/30
Part of:
L. S. Penrose Papers
  • Archives and manuscripts

About this work

Description

Letters between the Smithsonian Institution, L S Penrose, E S Pearson and others regarding an invention by Francis Galton to illustrate the principle of the law of error or dispersion. His device consisted of a box with a base divided into segments by pins, into which small metal balls could be dropped through a funnel. The box was located in the basement of UCL's statistics department. It was variously known as the "Quincunx", "Galton Box", "shot-machine" and "bean machine". The correspondence concerns a request for photographs by the Smithsonian so that they might create a replica for an exhibition. A photograph of an original drawing of the box, a purchase order and invoice are enclosed.

Publication/Creation

May-Sep 1961

Physical description

10 letters plus 3 enclosures

Location of duplicates

A digitised copy is held by the Wellcome Library as part of Codebreakers: Makers of Modern Genetics.

Terms of use

The papers are available at UCL Special Collections and Archives subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Languages

Where to find it

Location of original

The original material is held at UCL Special Collections. This catalogue is held by the Wellcome Library as part of Codebreakers: Makers of Modern Genetics.

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