Jonathan Betts will be releasing a new biography of Lt. Commander Rupert T. Gould in June of 2006, published by Oxford University Press. Gould, of course, is known in horological circles for his work on Harrison's timekeepers, but few today realize that he was a famous polymath in the early 20thC, and a member of the BBC's "Brain Trust", a group of geniuses who would answer any question, on any subject, live on the radio. I've heard some of these programs, and can attest that the extent of these people's erudition is jaw-dropping. Details of the book can be found at the unwieldy URL:
http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Physics/~...YSZjaT0wMTk4NTY4MDI5
http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Physics/~...YSZjaT0wMTk4NTY4MDI5