Louis Rosenhead

Louis Rosenhead (1 January 1906 – 10 November 1984) was a British mathematician noted for his work on Fluid mechanics, and who was Head of Department at Liverpool University from 1933 to 1973.

Rosenhead was born in Mabgate, Leeds on 1 January 1906 to Polish parents, the first of 3 children. His parents Abram Rozenkopf and Chaja Nagacz came from adjacent villages in Poland. They were married in Leeds in 1905, adopting the Anglicized versions of their names: Abraham and Ellen Rosenhead. Abraham was a tailor who did his national service in Russia and came to England in 1903; Ellen came in 1902.

Louis married Esther Brostoff, in Leeds in 1932; they had two sons, Martin and Jonathan.

Louis died 10 November 1984, survived by his wife.

Rosenhead matriculated from Leeds High School and went to the University of Leeds to study medicine, but after four weeks changed his studies to mathematics, graduating first class in 1926, and continuing, eventually to attain a PhD in 1928. He then earned another PhD at Cambridge University, followed by some years in Göttingen, along with Sydney Goldstein and H.B.Squire, working on fluid mechanics.

In 1933 he replaced Joseph Proudman as professor at Liverpool.

During World war II, Rosenhead was Superintendent of Ballistics at the Projectile Development Establishment.

In 1947 he was instrumental in developing statistics and in the appointment of Robin Plackett. His colleagues also included Maurice Bartlett, P. A. P. Moran and D. G. Kendall.