Editorial

All the articles in this issue of the BSHM Bulletin are about mathematics and mathematicians in Britain and Ireland during the Victorian era, and several of them were delivered as lectures at the conference on Victorian mathematics held at Rewley House, Oxford, in July 2006, organized by the BSHM and Oxford University Department of Continuing Education. We begin with a wide-ranging survey of British mathematics by Adrian Rice, followed by a provocative rejoinder from Jeremy Gray, while Karen Parshall takes us into the details of some of Cayley's and Sylvester's calculations in invariant theory. Next we turn to Ireland, with an overview of the period from Raymond Flood, who asks whether there was indeed such a thing as Irish mathematics, while Rod Gow offers new findings on the life and work of George Salmon. Finally, Eileen Magnello takes us through the transition from vital to mathematical statistics in the nineteenth century.

This issue completes Volume 21 of the BSHM Bulletin, the first set published with the support of Taylor and Francis. We have been able to offer a wonderful range of articles in the new format, and I would like to thank all those who have written for us or who have in many other ways worked hard to ensure the success of this new venture.

Jackie Stedall