A century ago, an unknown Georges Lemaître arrived in Britain with an immense opportunity. Having studied mathematical physics in Belgium he had received his masters degree but it was not viable outside of his native homeland. Being granted permission and funding, he was given a place at St Edmunds College, Cambridge University to work for an upgrade to PhD under legendary mathematical physicist Sir Arthur Eddington.
Eddington was a scientist of huge reputation at the time, having made Einstein world-famous through his phenomenal proof of the German’s Theory of Relativity by taking photos of the 1919 eclipse from the tiny African island of Principe. The starlight surrounding the sun is bent from where it should be by the sun’s gravity in one of the most famous photos in the history of science. For Lemaître to gain the opportunity to work under his tutelage was an immense privilege, but he came with the recommendation of his peers and had published work of quality in Belgium. Eddington, himself a Quaker, was open minded enough to receive the priest-physicist and had a reputation for being welcoming and approachable with his students. After all, Eddington had been among the first to promote women in astronomy and was a true internationalist.
