25 moments

1. Birth in Pongaroa

   1916-12-15 · Pongaroa, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand

   

   Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins was born in the rural settlement of Pongaroa, New Zealand.

2. Family move to Birmingham

   1923-01-01 · Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

   As a child, Wilkins moved with his family from New Zealand to Birmingham, where he was educated and later began his scientific career. The source gives his age rather than a calendar date; the Royal Society catalogue records the family move to England in 1923.

3. King Edward's School education

   1929-01-01 · King Edward's School, Edgbaston, Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

   Wilkins attended King Edward's School in Birmingham during his secondary education. The attendance extended through 1935.

4. Physics studies at St John's

   1935-01-01 · St John's College, Cambridge, England, United Kingdom

   Wilkins entered St John's College, Cambridge, to study the Natural Sciences Tripos, specialising in physics. His undergraduate residence and study continued until 1938.

5. Doctoral research at Birmingham

   1938-01-01 · University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

   After graduating from Cambridge, Wilkins became John Randall's PhD student at the University of Birmingham, beginning research that led to his doctorate. The year marks his transition from the Cambridge degree completed in 1938; he received the PhD in 1940.

6. PhD awarded at Birmingham

   1940-01-01 · University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

   Wilkins completed his doctoral work on phosphorescence and electron processes in solids at the University of Birmingham. The university location is established by the preceding account of his PhD studentship under Randall at Birmingham.

7. Manhattan Project work at Berkeley

   1944-01-01 · University of California, Berkeley, California, United States

   

   During World War II, Wilkins worked on isotope separation for the Manhattan Project at the University of California, Berkeley. His assignment there spanned 1944–1945.

8. Assistant lecturer at St Andrews

   1945-01-01 · University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom

   After the war, John Randall appointed Wilkins Assistant Lecturer in the University of St Andrews physics department.

9. Move to King's College London

   1946-01-01 · King's College London, Strand Campus, London, England, United Kingdom

   

   Wilkins moved with Randall to the new MRC biophysics research unit at King's College London, becoming its Assistant Director.

10. Early DNA diffraction photographs

    1950-01-01 · King's College London, Strand Campus, London, England, United Kingdom

    At King's College London, Wilkins and Raymond Gosling made early X-ray diffraction photographs of DNA fibres, foundational work for later DNA-structure research. The source gives May or June, so the date is retained at year precision.

11. DNA conference presentation in Naples

    1951-01-01 · Naples, Campania, Italy

    Wilkins presented DNA diffraction work at a conference in Naples; his presentation strongly influenced James Watson's decision to pursue DNA structure research.

12. Biomolecular conference in Rio de Janeiro

    1952-01-01 · Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Wilkins attended a biomolecular conference in Rio de Janeiro during a 1952 journey that also took him onward to Peru.

13. Subsequent trip to Peru

    1952-01-01 · Peru

    Following the Rio de Janeiro conference, Wilkins travelled in Peru during the same 1952 journey. The source identifies Peru but does not identify a specific locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

14. Photo 51 shown to Watson

    1953-01-01 · King's College London, Strand Campus, London, England, United Kingdom

    During Watson's visit to King's College London, Wilkins showed him the B-form DNA diffraction image later known as Photograph 51. The source dates the event only to early 1953.

15. Nobel Prize ceremony

    1962-12-10 · Stockholm Concert Hall, Stockholm, Sweden

    Wilkins received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside Francis Crick and James Watson at the 1962 Nobel Prize award ceremony. The ceremony account identifies Maurice Wilkins among the Physiology or Medicine recipients.

16. Director of the MRC Biophysics Unit

    1970-01-01 · King's College London, Strand Campus, London, England, United Kingdom

    

    Wilkins succeeded John Randall as director of the MRC Biophysics Unit and became professor and head of department at King's College London. He directed the MRC Biophysics Unit from 1970 to 1972.

17. Eddington Memorial Lectures

    1978-05-01 · Cambridge, England, United Kingdom

    Wilkins delivered the four-part Eddington Memorial Lecture series, "Science and the divine," in Cambridge. The institutional lecture list specifies May 1978 and Cambridge but not a more precise venue.

18. Meeting Pope John Paul II at the Vatican

    1981-01-01 · Vatican City

    Wilkins joined other members of the Nobel Laureates Manifesto for Peace group in a Vatican meeting with Pope John Paul II. The archival catalogue gives year precision only.

19. Nuclear-disarmament lecture tour of Japan

    1982-01-01 · Japan

    Wilkins undertook a Japanese lecture tour devoted to nuclear disarmament, documented by photographs of him with family and hosts. The archive gives only Japan, not individual tour stops; Tokyo is used as a representative national coordinate.

20. International Union of Elementologists conference

    1983-01-01 · Delhi, India

    Wilkins attended the first conference of the International Union of Elementologists in Delhi with his wife Patricia and other participants.

21. Lindau lecture on science and war

    1984-06-28 · Lindau, Bavaria, Germany

    

    At his first Lindau visit, Wilkins delivered "The Nobility of the Scientist's Enterprise," including a plea against scientific weapons research. The recording page dates the lecture 28 June 1984.

22. Lindau lecture on ideals of science and medicine

    1987-06-29 · Lindau, Bavaria, Germany

    

    Wilkins addressed a Lindau audience on the ideals and values of science and medicine, linking scientific work with ethical responsibility. The recording page dates the lecture 29 June 1987.

23. Honorary degree at Trinity College Dublin

    1992-01-01 · Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Wilkins travelled to Dublin to receive an honorary degree from Trinity College Dublin. The archival catalogue provides year precision only.

24. DNA discovery anniversary at King's

    1993-01-01 · King's College London, Strand Campus, London, England, United Kingdom

    Wilkins appeared with fellow DNA researchers at King's College London for a celebration marking the fortieth anniversary of the DNA-structure discovery. The archival catalogue provides year precision only.

25. Death in Blackheath

    2004-10-05 · Blackheath, London, England, United Kingdom

    Wilkins died in Blackheath, London, aged 87.