Jim Bennett and John Heilbron as Historians of Science and Intellectual Historians, by Dmitri Levitin

Astrolabe, History of Science Museum

Astrolabe (inventory No 53558), History of Science Museum

The week between 28 October and 5 November 2023 witnessed the deaths of two giants of the history of science associated with Oxford.

Jim Bennett (1947–2023) served as Director of the History of Science Museum from 1994 to 2012, remaining a vibrant part of the Oxford community after his retirement.

John Heilbron (1934–2023) worked largely at Berkeley, but since the late 1990s spent much of his time in Oxford, becoming a Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College. I was fortunate to know both, and to benefit from their erudition and advice. 

 

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