J. H. C Whitehead (and his pig)












6














I am actually completing Master's Thesis on Lawson Homology. In order to do this, I am writing an appendix on Higher Homotopy Groups. Now, as you know, one of the most important Homotopy theorists ever is J. H. C. Whitehead and much of the standard material on homotopy groups etc. is due to him. So, in his honor, I would like to include in my thesis a picture of him. Searching on Google, I found the following (funny) picture of Whitehead.



(



Now I am wondering if there is some story or funny fact behind this picture. Any anecdote is well accepted.






ho.history-overview







share|cite|improve this question






















  • Best ever off-topic question on MathOverflow!
    – Jeremy Rickard
    35 mins ago






  • 1




    This may get closed as answers may end up being primarily oswinion based. Gerhard "Can Think Of Other Reasons" Paseman, 2019.01.03.
    – Gerhard Paseman
    21 mins ago






  • 2




    but note the following paragraph which states that he lived on a farm: "Whitehead's father died in 1947 and his mother died six years later in 1953. She had owned a small farm and when Whitehead inherited the cattle he and his wife decided to buy Manor Farm in Noke, north of Oxford. The farm was run mainly by Whitehead's wife but he took a keen interest in the farm where the couple lived until Whitehead's death."
    – j.c.
    19 mins ago






  • 1




    @GerhardPaseman, amusing typo or subtle joke? Anyway, closing this question would be piggish.
    – LSpice
    19 mins ago






  • 1




    I believe another student of Whitehead was Ronnie Brown, of this parish. Maybe he’ll have memories to share.
    – Jeremy Rickard
    2 mins ago
















6














I am actually completing Master's Thesis on Lawson Homology. In order to do this, I am writing an appendix on Higher Homotopy Groups. Now, as you know, one of the most important Homotopy theorists ever is J. H. C. Whitehead and much of the standard material on homotopy groups etc. is due to him. So, in his honor, I would like to include in my thesis a picture of him. Searching on Google, I found the following (funny) picture of Whitehead.



(



Now I am wondering if there is some story or funny fact behind this picture. Any anecdote is well accepted.






ho.history-overview







share|cite|improve this question






















  • Best ever off-topic question on MathOverflow!
    – Jeremy Rickard
    35 mins ago






  • 1




    This may get closed as answers may end up being primarily oswinion based. Gerhard "Can Think Of Other Reasons" Paseman, 2019.01.03.
    – Gerhard Paseman
    21 mins ago






  • 2




    but note the following paragraph which states that he lived on a farm: "Whitehead's father died in 1947 and his mother died six years later in 1953. She had owned a small farm and when Whitehead inherited the cattle he and his wife decided to buy Manor Farm in Noke, north of Oxford. The farm was run mainly by Whitehead's wife but he took a keen interest in the farm where the couple lived until Whitehead's death."
    – j.c.
    19 mins ago






  • 1




    @GerhardPaseman, amusing typo or subtle joke? Anyway, closing this question would be piggish.
    – LSpice
    19 mins ago






  • 1




    I believe another student of Whitehead was Ronnie Brown, of this parish. Maybe he’ll have memories to share.
    – Jeremy Rickard
    2 mins ago














6












6








6







I am actually completing Master's Thesis on Lawson Homology. In order to do this, I am writing an appendix on Higher Homotopy Groups. Now, as you know, one of the most important Homotopy theorists ever is J. H. C. Whitehead and much of the standard material on homotopy groups etc. is due to him. So, in his honor, I would like to include in my thesis a picture of him. Searching on Google, I found the following (funny) picture of Whitehead.



(



Now I am wondering if there is some story or funny fact behind this picture. Any anecdote is well accepted.






ho.history-overview







share|cite|improve this question













I am actually completing Master's Thesis on Lawson Homology. In order to do this, I am writing an appendix on Higher Homotopy Groups. Now, as you know, one of the most important Homotopy theorists ever is J. H. C. Whitehead and much of the standard material on homotopy groups etc. is due to him. So, in his honor, I would like to include in my thesis a picture of him. Searching on Google, I found the following (funny) picture of Whitehead.



(



Now I am wondering if there is some story or funny fact behind this picture. Any anecdote is well accepted.






ho.history-overview




ho.history-overview






share|cite|improve this question













share|cite|improve this question











share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question










asked 40 mins ago









Vincenzo Zaccaro

376312




376312












  • Best ever off-topic question on MathOverflow!
    – Jeremy Rickard
    35 mins ago






  • 1




    This may get closed as answers may end up being primarily oswinion based. Gerhard "Can Think Of Other Reasons" Paseman, 2019.01.03.
    – Gerhard Paseman
    21 mins ago






  • 2




    but note the following paragraph which states that he lived on a farm: "Whitehead's father died in 1947 and his mother died six years later in 1953. She had owned a small farm and when Whitehead inherited the cattle he and his wife decided to buy Manor Farm in Noke, north of Oxford. The farm was run mainly by Whitehead's wife but he took a keen interest in the farm where the couple lived until Whitehead's death."
    – j.c.
    19 mins ago






  • 1




    @GerhardPaseman, amusing typo or subtle joke? Anyway, closing this question would be piggish.
    – LSpice
    19 mins ago






  • 1




    I believe another student of Whitehead was Ronnie Brown, of this parish. Maybe he’ll have memories to share.
    – Jeremy Rickard
    2 mins ago


















  • Best ever off-topic question on MathOverflow!
    – Jeremy Rickard
    35 mins ago






  • 1




    This may get closed as answers may end up being primarily oswinion based. Gerhard "Can Think Of Other Reasons" Paseman, 2019.01.03.
    – Gerhard Paseman
    21 mins ago






  • 2




    but note the following paragraph which states that he lived on a farm: "Whitehead's father died in 1947 and his mother died six years later in 1953. She had owned a small farm and when Whitehead inherited the cattle he and his wife decided to buy Manor Farm in Noke, north of Oxford. The farm was run mainly by Whitehead's wife but he took a keen interest in the farm where the couple lived until Whitehead's death."
    – j.c.
    19 mins ago






  • 1




    @GerhardPaseman, amusing typo or subtle joke? Anyway, closing this question would be piggish.
    – LSpice
    19 mins ago






  • 1




    I believe another student of Whitehead was Ronnie Brown, of this parish. Maybe he’ll have memories to share.
    – Jeremy Rickard
    2 mins ago
















Best ever off-topic question on MathOverflow!
– Jeremy Rickard
35 mins ago




Best ever off-topic question on MathOverflow!
– Jeremy Rickard
35 mins ago




1




1




This may get closed as answers may end up being primarily oswinion based. Gerhard "Can Think Of Other Reasons" Paseman, 2019.01.03.
– Gerhard Paseman
21 mins ago




This may get closed as answers may end up being primarily oswinion based. Gerhard "Can Think Of Other Reasons" Paseman, 2019.01.03.
– Gerhard Paseman
21 mins ago




2




2




but note the following paragraph which states that he lived on a farm: "Whitehead's father died in 1947 and his mother died six years later in 1953. She had owned a small farm and when Whitehead inherited the cattle he and his wife decided to buy Manor Farm in Noke, north of Oxford. The farm was run mainly by Whitehead's wife but he took a keen interest in the farm where the couple lived until Whitehead's death."
– j.c.
19 mins ago




but note the following paragraph which states that he lived on a farm: "Whitehead's father died in 1947 and his mother died six years later in 1953. She had owned a small farm and when Whitehead inherited the cattle he and his wife decided to buy Manor Farm in Noke, north of Oxford. The farm was run mainly by Whitehead's wife but he took a keen interest in the farm where the couple lived until Whitehead's death."
– j.c.
19 mins ago




1




1




@GerhardPaseman, amusing typo or subtle joke? Anyway, closing this question would be piggish.
– LSpice
19 mins ago




@GerhardPaseman, amusing typo or subtle joke? Anyway, closing this question would be piggish.
– LSpice
19 mins ago




1




1




I believe another student of Whitehead was Ronnie Brown, of this parish. Maybe he’ll have memories to share.
– Jeremy Rickard
2 mins ago




I believe another student of Whitehead was Ronnie Brown, of this parish. Maybe he’ll have memories to share.
– Jeremy Rickard
2 mins ago










1 Answer
1






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"J. H. C. Whitehead was a rather interesting character. He raised pigs."



source: Algebraic Topology (page 36)






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    1 Answer
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    active

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    "J. H. C. Whitehead was a rather interesting character. He raised pigs."



    source: Algebraic Topology (page 36)






    share|cite|improve this answer


























      3














      "J. H. C. Whitehead was a rather interesting character. He raised pigs."



      source: Algebraic Topology (page 36)






      share|cite|improve this answer
























        3












        3








        3






        "J. H. C. Whitehead was a rather interesting character. He raised pigs."



        source: Algebraic Topology (page 36)






        share|cite|improve this answer












        "J. H. C. Whitehead was a rather interesting character. He raised pigs."



        source: Algebraic Topology (page 36)







        share|cite|improve this answer












        share|cite|improve this answer



        share|cite|improve this answer










        answered 10 mins ago









        Carlo Beenakker

        73.5k9165274




        73.5k9165274






























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