George Atwood (October 1745, London – 11 July 1807, London) was
an English mathematician who invented a machine for illustrating
the effects of Newton's first law of motion. He was also a
renowned chess player whose skill for recording many games of
his own and of other players, including François-André Danican
Philidor, the leading master of his time, left a valuable
historical record for future generations. Atwood was born in
Westminster, with the date remaining unknown, but presumed to
have been shortly before his baptism on 15 October 1745. He
attended Westminster School and in 1765 was admitted to Trinity
College, Cambridge. He graduated in 1769 with the rank of third
wrangler and was awarded the inaugural first Smith's Prize.
Subsequently he became a fellow and a tutor of the college and
in 1776 was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of London. In
1784 he left Cambridge and soon afterwards received from William
Pitt the Younger the office of patent searcher of the customs,
which required but little a