The memorial to scientist Ernest Rutherford (1871–1937) at Brightwater features a statue of him as a young boy. Rutherford was born at nearby Spring Grove. His family moved to the Wai-iti valley, near Foxhill, when he was five, and to Havelock when he was 11. He won a scholarship to Nelson College in 1883 and went on to Canterbury College before going overseas in 1895. For his research into the chemistry of radioactive substances Rutherford was awarded the Nobel prize in chemistry in 1908. Considered to be New Zealand’s greatest scientist, he made outstanding contributions to science including the Rutherford–Bohr nuclear model of the atom. He was also the first to split the atom.
Information: Te Ara
Image: Flickr: Robyn Gallagher's photostream
Photograph by Robyn Gallagher
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.