The beginnings of engineering at Cambridge can be traced back to the 17th century, but it was not until 1784 that it began to emerge as an established discipline when Isaac Milner, the first Jacksonian Professor, started to lecture on the subject. The first examination in 'Applied Sciences' was the so-called 'Professors Examination' inaugurated in 1849. The first professor of Mechanism and Applied Mechanics, James Stuart, was appointed in 1875. By the outbreak of World War II, 25% of all engineering graduates in the UK came from Cambridge. Today the figure is 2½%, but the Engineering Department maintains its worldwide reputation.

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