Sir William Henry Bragg was a noted English physicist, mathematician, and teacher whose reputation rests on his pioneering work on the determination of crystal structure by the use of x-ray diffraction. For this achievement, he was awarded the 1915 Nobel Prize for physics with his eldest son, William Lawrence Bragg. Bragg's work advanced understanding of the way atoms bond together to form molecules, and resulted in practical repercussions throughout industry. He is also noted for his efforts to win physics a popular audience, particularly through his acclaimed Christmas lectures for the Royal Society.

Bragg was born in Cumberland, England, to Robert John Bragg, a former Merchant Marines officer, and Mary Wood, a vicar's daughter. After the death of his mother when he was only seven years of age, Bragg went to live with his uncle, a pharmacist, and attended school at Market Harborough in Leicestershire. After six years there...