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He is born
Boole was born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England, the son of John Boole Sr (1779–1848), a shoemaker and Mary Ann Joyce. -
Mechanics Institute
Boole participated in the Mechanics Institute, in the Greyfriars, Lincoln. Edward Bromhead, who knew John Boole through the institution, helped George Boole with mathematics books and he was given the calculus text of Sylvestre François Lacroix by the Rev. George Stevens Dickson of St Swithin's, Lincoln. Without a teacher, it took him many years to master calculus. -
School in Lincoln
At age 19, Boole successfully established his own school in Lincoln. Four years later he took over Hall's Academy in Waddington, outside Lincoln, following the death of Robert Hall. -
Studied algebra in the form of symbolic methods
From 1838 onwards Boole was making contacts with sympathetic British academic mathematicians and reading more widely. He studied algebra in the form of symbolic methods, as far as these were understood at the time, and began to publish research papers. -
He moved back to Lincoln
He moved back to Lincoln, where he ran a boarding school. -
Presenting a paper entitled
Boole immediately became involved in the Lincoln Topographical Society, serving as a member of the committee, and presenting a paper entitled, On the origin, progress and tendencies Polytheism, especially amongst the ancient Egyptians, and Persians, and in modern India. -
Building society
Boole became a prominent local figure, an admirer of John Kaye, the bishop. He took part in the local campaign for early closing. With E. R. Larken and others he set up a building society in 1847. He associated also with the Chartist Thomas Cooper, whose wife was a relation. -
Symbolic logic
In 1847 Boole published the pamphlet Mathematical Analysis of Logic. He later regarded it as a flawed exposition of his logical system, and wanted An Investigation of the Laws of Thought on Which are Founded the Mathematical Theories of Logic and Probabilities to be seen as the mature statement of his views. Contrary to widespread belief, Boole never intended to criticise or disagree with the main principles of Aristotle's logic. -
First professor of mathematics at Queen's College
Boole's status as mathematician was recognised by his appointment in 1849 as the first professor of mathematics at Queen's College, Cork (now University College Cork (UCC)) in Ireland. -
Met his future wife
He met his future wife, Mary Everest, there in 1850 while she was visiting her uncle John Ryall who was Professor of Greek. -
They married
They married some years later in 1855. He maintained his ties with Lincoln, working there with E. R. Larken in a campaign to reduce prostitution. -
Royal Society of Edinburgh
Boole was awarded the Keith Medal by the Royal Society of Edinburgh -
Fellow of the Royal Society
Boole was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) -
Analysis
In 1857, Boole published the treatise On the Comparison of Transcendents, with Certain Applications to the Theory of Definite Integrals, in which he studied the sum of residues of a rational function. Among other results, he proved what is now called Boole's identity: -
Differential equations
Boole completed two systematic treatises on mathematical subjects during his lifetime. The Treatise on Differential Equations appeared in 1859, and was followed, the next year, by a Treatise on the Calculus of Finite Differences, a sequel to the former work. -
Death
In late November 1864, Boole walked, in heavy rain, from his home at Lichfield Cottage in Ballintemple to the university, a distance of three miles, and lectured wearing his wet clothes. He soon became ill, developing pneumonia. Boole's condition worsened and on 8 December 1864, he died of fever-induced pleural effusion.
He was buried in the Church of Ireland cemetery of St Michael's, Church Road, Blackrock (a suburb of Cork). There is a commemorative plaque inside the adjoining church.
