Alfred Kempe

Alfred Bray Kempe (* 1849, † 1922) was a British mathematician, his name is particularly associated with the history of the four- color theorem.

Kempe studied at Trinity College, Cambridge University, where, among others, Arthur Cayley was one of his teachers. It graduated in 1874 with honors and then worked first in spite of his interest in mathematics as a lawyer with a specialization in church law.

In 1879 he published his ( incorrect ) proof to the four color theorem, which, however, believed to be correct was 11 years, until 1890 Percy Heawood found an error in it. Despite the error, the evidence but basic considerations and techniques contained ( Kempe chains), which turned out to be important for the later correct proof by Kenneth Appel and Wolfgang hook from the year 1976.

Kempe was elected in 1881 to the Royal Society and was 1892-1894 President of the London Mathematical Society.