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Item ID Title Description Type Subject Added Updated
263 Adam Ferguson Profession: Philosopher Historian Talents etc.: Latin, Greek Essay-writing Mathematics (Professional) Role in St Andrews: Student of natural philosophy (taking courses in logic and moral philosophy) Years in St Andrews: 1738-1743 Person Tuesday 17th of November 2020 12:05:49 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:49:48 PM
367 Adeline Herbert Campbell Adeline Herbert Campbell was one of eight sisters to attended the University of St Andrews. She lived in University Hall from 1905 to 1912 while completing her degree in medicine. She went on to serve as a nurse during WWI in Serbia, earning medals such as the Serbian Red Cross and the Order of Sava for her services. She later moved back to the UK, where she worked as a medical practitioner earning her doctorate. Person Medicine Tuesday 23rd of March 2021 02:53:19 PM Wednesday 21st of April 2021 12:28:46 PM
281 Admiral Maitland Dougall Amateur photographer Associated with Brewster, as his sister married a son of Brewster sister and her husband King also involved in photography: Kng album Person Photography Friday 20th of November 2020 02:15:11 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:51:10 PM
339 Agnes Moodie Early female chemist at the University Person Chemistry Monday 15th of February 2021 03:00:19 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:54:03 PM
284 Alexander Govan Pharmacist, together with William Smith, providing photographers with materials also learnt art of photography place of former chemistry shop known, photograph available Person Photography Friday 20th of November 2020 02:21:42 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:51:19 PM
337 Anthony Dickson Home Medicine graduate from St Andrews. Received Victoria Cross for his 'valour during the Indian mutiny.' Person Medicine Monday 15th of February 2021 01:15:47 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:53:59 PM
206 Benjamin Franklin Founding father of the United States of America, Benjamin Franklin, was deeply interested in the world around him and excelled in numerous fields. He was many things in his lifetime: a printer, a postmaster, an ambassador, an author, a scientist, a philosopher, a writer, a statesman and, above all, an inventor. His contributions to the American Revolution and the building of a new nation were only one part of a highly distinguished career. He invented solutions to common problems, including a 'Long Arm' to grab books from the top shelf and swimming fins to help him swim more easily at 11 years old. He even made life a bit more musical with the invention of a glass harmonica. His most famous work was in the field of electricity, even inventing a new type of battery in 1748. The University of St Andrews awarded him 'gratis for his Writings on Electricity' an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1759, and the city of St Andrews granted him freedom of the burgh. Surprisingly, he made the journey to the town for this purpose, and later wrote 'I believe Scotland would be the country I should choose to spend the remainder of my days in'. Franklin valued academia highly, saying: 'If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest'. Person Wednesday 12th of August 2020 05:02:33 PM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:20:18 PM
264 Bernard Bosanquet Profession: Philosopher Social theorist (Professional) Role in St Andrews: Professor of moral philosophy Years in St Andrews: 1903-1907 Person Philosophy Tuesday 17th of November 2020 12:13:33 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:49:58 PM
203 Charles Lapworth Geologist Charles Lapworth taught English at Madras College, St Andrews. Although predominately self-taught in the field of geology, he made significant contributions to research regarding the Southern Uplands. He is mostly remembered for proposing the Ordovician epoch, a new classification of Lower Paleozoic rocks between the Cambrian and the Silurian periods. This term only gained international approval 40 years after his death. His various awards pay merit to his life and research, including the greatest scientific accolade of the Royal Society - the Gold Medal - in 1899. Furthermore, he is immortalised through the glacial Lake Lapworth in what is now western England, bearing his name in recognition of his suggestion of its existence. He left St Andrews in 1881 to become a professor of geology at the University of Birmingham. Lapworth combined his interests in space and the earth, claiming 'Astronomy is the oldest of the sciences, while Geology is one of the newest. But the two sciences have this in common: that to both are granted a magnificence of outlook'. Person Geology Tuesday 11th of August 2020 03:33:11 PM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:21:28 PM
205 David Brewster Scottish physicist, mathematician, astronomer, writer, historian of science and inventor of the kaleidoscope, David Brewster became a significant figure in Scottish higher education through becoming the principal of the University of St Andrews, and later the principal of the University of Edinburgh. Although he had qualified to become a minister of the Church of Scotland after obtaining a divinity degree from the University of Edinburgh, he chose instead to pursue his scientific passions. Dubbed the 'Father of modern experimental optics' by William Whewell, he was mostly concerned with the study of the polarization of light and the discovery of 'Brewster's angle'. He achieved success in improving the stereoscope and was instrumental in persuading the British to adopt the Fresnel lens for use in lighthouses. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1815, he also helped to form the British Association for the Advancement of Science and was knighted for his contribution to science in 1831. He published numerous notable works, including two biographies of Sir Isaac Newton, alongside being a regular contributor to the Edinburgh Magazine and editor for the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia from 1807. As a student, one young man from his native Roxburghshire described him as 'the only virtuous character he had met among young men'. He combined his loves of sciences and of religion, calling the former integral to the safeguarding of the latter, and said that: 'Man, made after God's image, was a nobler creation than twinkling sparks in the sky, or than the larger and more useful lamp of the moon'. Person Mathematics, Natural History Tuesday 11th of August 2020 04:05:08 PM Thursday 15th of April 2021 01:38:44 AM
265 David George Ritchie Profession: Philosopher Talents etc.: As a child, was kept away from other children because he was frail and bookish; thus, read and fished in his free time (Professional) Role in St Andrews: Chair of logic and metaphysics Dean of the faculty of arts Representative of Senatus at university court Lecturer in logic, psychology, metaphysics, history of philosophy Years in St Andrews: 1894-1903 Person Philosophy Tuesday 17th of November 2020 11:30:51 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:50:09 PM
259 Dr John Adamson Profession: Physician Chemist Person Medicine, Photography Sunday 15th of November 2020 08:51:13 PM Thursday 15th of April 2021 01:42:50 AM
280 Frances Kinnaird Patron of photography, with husband Lord Kinnaird Person Photography Friday 20th of November 2020 02:10:41 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:51:09 PM
324 Frances Melville Frances Helen Melville was a suffragist and lifelong campaigner for women's education. Melville graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1897 with a first-class Master of Arts in Philosophy. She stayed on as a tutor for 3 years before working as a lecturer at Cheltenham Ladies' College. Following this, she moved to St Andrews to become the second warden of University Hall. Melville was the first woman to attain a Bachelor of Divinity in Scotland in 1910. She became mistress of Queen Margaret College, where she served from 1909 until its closure in 1935. Melville was awarded The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1935, recognising her work on increasing access to higher education for women. Person Friday 12th of February 2021 07:13:26 PM Thursday 09th of September 2021 04:09:20 PM
254 Franki Raffles Profession: Photographer Campaigner against violence against women Philosopher Person Photography Friday 13th of November 2020 09:44:37 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:46:53 PM
278 George Kinnaird Patron of photography, with his wife Lady Kinnaird Name: George William Fox Kinnaird, ninth Lord Kinnaird of Inchture, Baron Rossie, and first Baron Kinnaird of Rossie D.O.B: 1807 D.O.D: 1878 Person Photography Friday 20th of November 2020 02:07:35 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:50:54 PM
220 George Martine, the elder George Martine the elder, (1635-1712) was an historian of St Andrews, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Dr George Martine, who was the principal of St Salvator’s College, St Andrews. Martine (the younger) is remembered through his work ‘Reliquiae divi Andreae’, which is the first history of the archbishopric, published after his death and since proving valuable to many St Andrean historians. Martine was commissary clerk of St Andrews from 1660 to 1690, being excluded from the post for refusing to pledge an oath of loyalty to King William III and Queen Mary II. Person Natural Philosophy Friday 28th of August 2020 11:24:34 AM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:21:51 PM
221 George Martine, the younger George Martine the younger became a physician and studied at the University of St Andrews. He there headed a student riot during the Jacobite rebellion of 1715, ringing the college bells the day that the ‘Old Pretender’ was proclaimed. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Leyden but settled in St Andrews. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society whilst serving as a physician during the War of Jenkins’ Ear and subsequent expeditions, wherein he contracted a ‘bilious fever’, from which he died. Person Natural Philosophy Friday 28th of August 2020 11:29:55 AM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:22:02 PM
400 Gina Gabrielle Starr Gina Gabrielle Starr is an American academic administrator and interdisciplinary scholar. Born in Tallahassee, Florida in 1974, Starr began studying Emory University at the early age of 15, obtaining both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Women’s Studies by 1993. Upon leaving Emory, Starr spent a year studying at the University of St Andrews under the prestigious Robert T. Jones Scholarship. Starr went on to obtain a PhD in English Literature from Harvard University in 1999, then undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at the California Institute of Technology where she explored techniques in cognitive neuroscience. In 2000, Starr joined the faculty at New York University. She became acting dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 2011 and dean suo jure in 2013. Starr led various community development initiatives throughout the state of New York, such as co-founding a liberal arts prison education program and initiating a STEM preparation and transfer program in partnership with Manhattan community colleges. In 2017, Starr became the first woman and first African American to assume the post of President of Pomona College. She is currently serving as the tenth president of the Southern Californian Institution. Person Monday 26th of April 2021 06:15:50 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:15:50 PM
322 Helen Archdale Suffragist, militant feminist, and international feminist educated at St Andrews 1892-1894. Person Wednesday 10th of February 2021 02:58:07 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:52:38 PM
332 Hikmat Abu Zayd Hikmat Abu Zayd (حكمت أبو زيد‎) was an Egyptian politician and academic born in the village of Shayk Daud sometime between 1922 and 1923. She obtained a license (Master’s-equivalent) in history from Cairo University in 1940 and a teaching certificate the following year. Abu Zayd then went on to study at the University of St Andrews, completing a Master of Arts in Education in 1950 and a PhD in Behavioral Psychology from the University of London in 1957. Abu Zayd was the first woman cabinet minister in Egypt and the second woman in the Arab world to ever hold a ministerial role. She was appointed as the Minister of Social Affairs by President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1962 and served as minister until Nasser’s death in 1970. Abu Zayd was also named the Arab Socialist Union’s Coordinator for Women’s Activities in 1963 and throughout the 1980s, was the leader of the Egyptian National Front. Hikmat Abu Zayd died in Cairo, Egypt on 30 July 2011. Person Monday 15th of February 2021 12:26:47 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 05:18:21 PM
258 Hugh Lyon Playfair Profession: Army officer: military leader Talents etc.: Campaigning, management Golfing Acting Fund-raising Private life/family life: Married Jane Dalgleish of Scotscraig in 1820: they had 6 sons and 5 daughters (Professional) Role in St Andrews: Provost 1842 – 1861 Years in St Andrews: Early life Bought house in 1820 Life after military career (from 1832 onwards) Person Photography Sunday 15th of November 2020 08:35:09 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:47:46 PM
276 Ivan Szabo Iván Szabό (born 1822) was a photographer from Marosvásárhely, present-day Târgu Mureş in Transylvania. In 1849, after getting involved in a political conflict in his home country, he settled in St Andrews. Following his arrival, he taught languages at Madras College while studying photography and the photographic calotype process with local photographer Thomas Rodger. Szabό opened his first studio in 1857 after moving to Edinburgh. He died shortly after in 1858. Despite the success he experienced during his lifetime, he remains almost entirely forgotten as a photographer. Person Photography Friday 20th of November 2020 01:59:28 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 11:27:09 AM
223 Józef Kosacki Kosacki was an officer in the Polish Army in World War Two and is notably remembered as an engineer and inventor. He invented the first man-portable mine detector during his stay in St Andrews, with the Ardgowan Hotel as army headquarters and West Sands as a test site. Prior to World War Two, he had been involved in the clandestine Special Signals Unit, a secret instate which worked on electronic appliances for the army. As Kosacki had to leave his family in German-held Poland, his name was classified in order to protect them. Therefore, most of his patents were submitted under pseudonyms, including "Józef Kos", "Kozacki", and "Kozack". Although he didn't receive payment nor official recognition for his work, King George VI sen his a letter of gratitude. Kosacki's designs for the mine detector have been used with various armies for over 50 years, and doubled the speed at which heavily mind sands could be cleared (from 100 to 200 metres per hour). Although he didn't receive payment or official recognition for his work, King George VI sent him a letter of gratitude. The mine detector had a profound had a profound impact, saving innumerable lives and limbs. Person Physics Saturday 29th of August 2020 01:28:10 PM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:23:48 PM
246 James Bell Pettigrew Prof James Bell Pettigrew FRSE FRS FRCPE LLD (26 May 1834 – 30 January 1908) was a Scottish anatomist and noted naturalist, aviation pioneer and museum curator. He was a distinguished naturalist in Britain, and Professor of Anatomy at St Andrews University from 1875 until his death. Person Natural Philosophy Monday 02nd of November 2020 12:38:32 PM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:22:37 PM
252 James David Forbes Profession: Physicist, Geologist Person Geology, Photography Monday 02nd of November 2020 04:57:10 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:46:34 PM
208 James David Forbes James David Forbes, principal at the University of St Andrews from 1859 to his death in 1868, studied the contradictory topics of heat and glaciers. Despite familial pressure to become a lawyer, Forbes (with David Brewster's encouragement) pursued a career in science, studying at the University of Edinburgh in the 1820s. While there, Forbes won many academic prizes and began writing articles on meteorology. He became a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Royal Society of London at only 21 years old. He invented the seismometer in 1842 and contributed papers to the 'Edinburgh Philosophical Journal' anonymously under the signature 'Δ'. He won several awards from his work, including the Rumford Medal from the Royal Society in 1838, and the Gold Medal in 1843. While he was principal of the University of St Andrews, he oversaw many projects such as the restoration of St Salvator's Chapel and the reorganisation of United College finances. Similarly, he made important reforms at the University of Edinburgh during his time there as professor of natural philosophy. Whilst engaging in various 'heated' scientific debates regarding his work with ice and glaciers, it was his study of heat which made the greatest contribution to science and had a resounding impact after his death. Person Thursday 13th of August 2020 01:14:07 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 11:29:43 AM
268 James Ferrier Profession: Philosopher (Professional) Role in St Andrews: Chair of moral philosophy and political economy at the university Years in St Andrews: 1845-1864 Person Philosophy Wednesday 18th of November 2020 12:00:50 AM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:50:29 PM
198 James Gregory James Gregory was a Scottish mathematician and astronomer, born in Drumoak, Aberdeenshire. He was the son of an Episcopalian minster of the Church of Scotland. After travelling widely in Europe, he became professor of mathematics at the University of St Andrews in 1668. In 1674 he moved to Edinburgh, where he became the University of Edinburgh's professor of mathematics. He died only a year after taking up the post at the age of only 36. As well as making several important contributions to mathematics he was the inventor of the Gregorian reflecing telescope. Person Astronomy, Natural Philosophy Friday 06th of March 2020 10:39:39 AM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:23:14 PM
209 James Gregory The Scottish mathematician, astronomer, and first Regius Professor of Mathematics at the University of St Andrews, James Gregory, was one of the three inventors of calculus and the first to write a textbook concerning it (hence why calculus was taught at St Andrews a hundred years before it was on the curriculum at the University of Cambridge). He invented the Gregorian telescope which is still used today and discovered the principles of diffraction gratings. He worked to find the areas of the circle and hyperbola using a modification of the method of Archimedes (c.211BCE). Gregory was elected to the Royal Society of London before travelling to St Andrews and there starting his family. After a while, he moved to the University of Edinburgh. Most notably, Gregory is thought to have laid the very first meridian line, 200 years before the Greenwich meridian was established. This meridian runs several degrees west of the Greenwich meridian, making it around 12 minutes behind GMT. The brass meridian on South Street represents the line which Gregory initially carved into the floor of his laboratory (now King James' Library). Person Mathematics Thursday 13th of August 2020 01:30:42 PM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:23:05 PM
326 James Maitland Anderson James Maitland Anderson first came to the University of St Andrews in 1874 as an Assistant Librarian. In 1881, he became University Librarian, a role he held until 1924. During these years he also served as Secretary of the University (1878-1899), Quaestor (1881-1892), Registrar and Secretary of the General Council (1881-1899), and Keeper of Muniments (until 1927). In addition, Anderson had an interest in local history, studying the history of the town of St Andrews and the University, publishing four books on the topic over the span of 48 years. In 1895, Anderson published Heraldry of the University of St Andrews, which was used as an inspiration for the design of the current University Shield. Person Saturday 13th of February 2021 01:39:42 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:10:00 PM
277 Jessie Mann Studio assistant of Hill and Adamson Person Photography Friday 20th of November 2020 02:03:38 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:50:52 PM
327 Jessie Mann Name: Janet “Jessie” Mann D.O.B: 1805 D.O.D: 1867 studio assistant of Hill and Adamson Person Photography Sunday 14th of February 2021 09:28:36 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:53:18 PM
304 John Bethune minister and philosopher Person Philosophy Friday 20th of November 2020 04:39:00 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:51:56 PM
346 John Burnet Scottish classical and Greek scholar Person Friday 19th of February 2021 10:49:15 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:54:17 PM
617 John Maior Person Mathematics Wednesday 14th of July 2021 11:42:38 PM Tuesday 20th of July 2021 05:53:38 PM
210 John Mair Scottish Mathematician John Mair (sometimes Maoir) worked in both Paris and St Andrews teaching logic and theology. He studied at Cambridge (rare for a Scot at this time), where he spent around a year before furthering his studies in France. He contributed to a range of fields, including ethics, metaphysics, theology, biblical commentary, history and (above all) logic, at which he especially excelled. Furthermore, he did considerable work in legal human rights. His great intellectual drive is testified by the fact that he completed at least forty-six books within twenty years, despite struggling with a recurring illness. His reputation was founded upon the quality of his writings (many of which became textbooks for a large number of students in Paris and throughout Europe), as well as the quality of his teaching (being described by a student as a 'deeply knowledgeable man whose virtue is as great as his faith'). He was the principal of the University of Glasgow for five years, vicar of Dunlop (in Ayrshire) and a canon of the Chapel Royal in Stirling. He left Glasgow for the University of St Andrews, working as provost of St Salvator's College from 1534 and being the dean of the Faculty of Theology at the University. Although he complained about the town's bad beer, he did a lot of important work there: sitting on a committee to revise St Andrews forms of examination, doing administrative work, and lecturing in arts and theology. John Knox, his student who became the foremost leader of the Scottish Reformation, called Maoir a man 'whose word was held as an oracle on matters of religion', showing how respected he was. He is best known today for his 'History of Greater Britain, England and Scotland' (published 1521). Deeply interested in history, he wrote that it was necessary to study so that: 'You may learn not only the thing that was done but also how it ought to have been done'. Person Mathematics Thursday 13th of August 2020 01:48:48 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:31:18 PM
616 John Mair (Abolished) Person Mathematics Wednesday 14th of July 2021 10:34:02 PM Tuesday 20th of July 2021 05:24:48 PM
270 John Major Profession: Historian Philosopher Theologian (Professional) Role in St Andrews: Lecturer in arts and theology, assessor to the dean of the arts faculty Provost of St Salvator’s College 1534-1550 Dean of the faculty of theology Years in St Andrews: 1523-1525 1531-1550 Person Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, Philosophy Wednesday 18th of November 2020 12:12:34 AM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:50:33 PM
222 John Napier John Napier, the “Marvellous Merchiston” (as he was known in his day), was a Scottish landowner, mathematician, physicist, astronomer and discoverer of logarithms invented the so-called ‘Napier’s bones’, and made common the use of the decimal point. He was enrolled in St Salvator’s College, St Andrews at the age of 13, and it is suspected that he left Scotland to further his education in mainland Europe. He became interested in religion while in St Andrews, being particularly interested in the Book of Revelation and the Apocalypse. Napier was also often perceived as a magician, thought to have dabbled in necromancy and alchemy, and many tales were told of his superhuman powers. He is remembered through his namesakes, Edinburgh Napier University, the crater Neper on the moon, and the French name for the Natural Logarithm (Logarithme Népérien). David Hume described Napier as “the person to whom the title of a great man is more justly due than to any other whom his country ever produced”. Person Mathematics Friday 28th of August 2020 01:00:16 PM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:23:32 PM
625 John Napier (Maths) Person Mathematics Wednesday 21st of July 2021 07:15:18 PM Wednesday 21st of July 2021 07:15:18 PM
335 Josephat Martin Harvey Josephat Martin Harvey (Funyana Mutyambizi) was a Zimbabwean mathematician born in Salisbury (now Harare) in 1949. Harvey studied at the University of Zimbabwe from 1969 to 1980, specialising in applied mathematics. From 1978 to 1979, he conducted research in St Andrews. Pioneering greater diversity in academia, Harvey excelled during his time at the University of Zimbabwe, becoming the first black student to be awarded a First-Class Special Honours and the first student to obtain a PhD in mathematics. He eventually became the University’s first black mathematics lecturer and the first black Dean of the Faculty of Science. Harvey died in Zimbabwe in 2011. Person Mathematics Monday 15th of February 2021 01:04:44 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 03:46:48 PM
340 Katharine Whitehorn Katherine Whitehorn, CBE, was a renowned journalist and author. In 1982, she was elected as rector of the University of St Andrews - the first female to hold this role in any Scottish university. The University opened Whitehorn Hall in 2018 as part of an effort to honour inspiring female figures with strong connections to the University. Whitehorn was the first woman to have a column in The Observer and was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2014 for her services to journalism. Person Monday 15th of February 2021 03:00:59 PM Tuesday 20th of April 2021 11:57:15 AM
365 Kathleen 'Kay' MacIver Kathleen MacIver was the first woman to chair a department at the University of St Andrews. Despite facing prevailing negative attitudes, she was highly successful in her role and went on to have other prominent positions within the University. MacIver inspired a generation of women to pursue careers in academia; she was proudly focused on academic accessibility throughout her career. As master, she brought a diversity of perspective to senior decision-making that helped make St Andrews a more inclusive place for students and staff alike. Person Thursday 18th of March 2021 11:39:09 AM Tuesday 20th of April 2021 01:12:13 PM
647 Lieutenant Józef Stainisław Kosacki Lieutenant Józef Stainisław Kosacki was born on April 21st 1909 in Poland and in 1933 graduated from the Warsaw University of Technology with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Shortly before the invasion of Poland in September 1939 by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, he enlisted in the army. He became an officer in the Special Signals Corps, a unit that developed electronic appliances for the military. After the fall of Poland, Kosacki was interned in Hungary, but escaped in December 1939 and made his way to Paris. Here, he was reunited with remnants of the Polish Army, but along with these forces was forced to flee to the UK after the fall of France in June 1940. Person Tuesday 11th of October 2022 08:58:02 AM Tuesday 11th of October 2022 08:58:02 AM
338 Louisa Lumsden Louisa Lumsden is remembered as the founder and inspiration of University Hall. She was a lifelong advocate for the progression of female education, inspired by her time at Girton College, Cambridge, having been one of the first five women to study there. Lumsden moved to St Andrews in 1877, where she was recruited as headmistress for St Leonards School. In 1895, she returned to St Andrews as the first warden of University Hall – the only residential hall for female students in Scotland at the time. Her vision was based on her time at Girton College, and was met with much opposition. Lumsden also fought for women’s rights more generally, serving as president of the Aberdeen Suffrage Society in her retirement. Person Monday 15th of February 2021 02:59:27 PM Tuesday 20th of April 2021 11:51:04 AM
251 Robert Adamson Robert Adamson was born in 1821 at Burnside, near St Andrews, and enjoyed an early education at Madras College. While in St Andrews, he was introduced to the calotype process by his brother, Dr John Adamson, and Sir David Brewster. Due to his fragile health, he did not become an engineer as he had originally planned, becoming a photographer instead. During his short life, Adamson established himself as a pioneer of early photography, best known for his collaboration with the painter David Octavius Hill. Hill was devastated when Adamson died, writing about the death of “my amiable & affectionate Robert Adamson”. Person Photography Monday 02nd of November 2020 04:55:44 PM Thursday 15th of April 2021 01:42:16 AM
197 Robert Chambers Robert Chambers was a Scottish journalist, antiquarian, publisher and evolutionary thinker from Peebles. Along with his brother William, he was one of the founders of the famous Chambers publishing house. The Chambers brothers rose from modest beginnings to be pillars of Edinburgh society. Today, Robert Chambers is probably most famous as the author of Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation (first edition 1844), his anonymously published evolutionary magnum opus. Person Natural History Friday 06th of March 2020 10:02:49 AM Friday 29th of May 2020 12:39:40 PM
207 Robert Fitzroy Charles Darwin described Robert FitzRoy as a 'very extraordinary person', being 'everything that is delightful' and 'very scientific'. Vice-Admiral FitzRoy was an English officer of the Royal Navy and a scientist. He is most celebrated as the captain of the HMS Beagle during Darwin's famous voyage, a major cartographic expedition from 1831 to 1836. FitzRoy entered the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth at the age of 12, and joined the Royal Navy the following year. He became a lieutenant in 1824, passing the examination with full marks, the first to ever achieve such a result. He was a pioneering meteorologist who made daily weather predictions, which he referred to as his own term 'forecasts'. In 1854, he established what would later be called the Met Office, and founded systems to relay weather information to sailors and fishermen for their safety. He was a surveyor and a hydrographer, as well as Governor of New Zealand for a few years, where he tried to protect the Maori from illegal land sales claimed by British settlers. He died having exhausted his entire fortune (£6,000, worth £400,000 today) on public expenditure.Testaments to his life's work can be found throughout the British Isles, including an aneroid and a FitzRoy barometer with storm glass on the wall of 35 North Street, St Andrews. Person Thursday 13th of August 2020 12:12:14 PM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:24:18 PM
363 Saba Douglas-Hamilton Saba Douglas-Hamilton is a Kenyan wildlife conservationist, television presenter, and documentary film producer. She was born to an English zoologist father and an Italian-Kenyan conservationist mother. She first attended school in Kenya, then United World College of the Atlantic in Wales, before coming to the University of St Andrews. She graduated in 1993 with a Master of Arts in Social Anthropology. After leaving St Andrews, she began working with the Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia, Kenya. Douglas-Hamilton first started working in film in 1997 with the BBC Natural History Unit. Since then, she has presented the Big Cat Diary series, produced a documentary entitled Heart of a Lioness and The Secret Life of Elephants, and continued her conservation work in Kenya.  Person Saturday 13th of March 2021 07:10:29 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 11:28:09 AM
204 Sir D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson The 'charming and outstanding' Sir D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson believed that all science and learning were one and the same, testified by his wide-ranging expertise as a scientist, naturalist, classicist, mathematician, scholar and philosopher. A year after graduating with a zoology degree from Trinity College, Cambridge, he became a professor of biology in Dundee. He held chair of natural history at the University of St Andrews for an unbeaten record of 64 years, teaching until he was 87 years old with a style described as 'inspirational and eccentric'. As a fellow, and then vice-president of the Royal Society of London, he was awarded the Darwin Medal. He was also an honorary member of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, president of both the Classical Association and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, received the Linnean Gold Medal from the Linnean Society and a knighthood, amongst a raft of other notable achievements. Although most famous as the author of 'On Growth and Form' (1917), he wrote over 300 works on many different subjects. As a founder member of the St Andrews Preservation Trust, he was acutely interested in this town's history, and would say: 'The stones cry out to us as we pass and tell us the story of our land'. Person Mathematics, Natural History, Natural Philosophy Tuesday 11th of August 2020 03:49:10 PM Monday 09th of November 2020 01:24:38 PM
350 Sir James Donaldson Sir James Donaldson was a dedicated St Andrews principal, classical scholar, and political advocate.  When he started working at the University, he was not very popular and many disliked his active involvement in liberal politics and Scottish nationalism. His popularity grew, however, as he masterly steered the University in a new direction at a time when it experienced great expansion and change. One such element of change was women's admission into the University in 1892. Donaldson was supportive of women's admission, something that later lead him towards the study of women in antiquity. Person Friday 19th of February 2021 11:51:44 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 07:00:42 PM
272 Sir Malcolm Knox Profession: Philosopher Academic administrator (Bursar and lecturer in philosophy in Oxford 1931-1936) Talents etc.: Business Scholarly prowess Savoir faire (Professional) Role in St Andrews: Chair of moral philosophy at the University of St Andrews Deputy principal 1951-1953 Vice-chancellor and principal 1953-1966 (as successor of Sir James Irvine) Years in St Andrews: 1936-1966 Person Philosophy Wednesday 18th of November 2020 04:24:09 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:50:45 PM
345 Sue Innes Sue Innes was a feminist campaigner, journalist, and academic who helped establish St Andrews as a centre for second-wave feminism during her time as a student between 1970 and 1974. She was a founder of the Women's Liberation Movement, the head of the University magazine Aien, and represented St Andrews on BBC Scotland. Innes worked as a journalist in the Scottish Parliament before gaining a doctorate from the University of Edinburgh where she focused on the study of working mothers. She later worked as an editor for The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women, seeking to represent all facets of ordinary women's lives. Person Tuesday 16th of February 2021 03:12:22 AM Wednesday 21st of April 2021 12:32:00 PM
274 Thomas Chalmers Philosopher and promoter of very early photography Person Philosophy, Photography Friday 20th of November 2020 01:55:53 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:50:48 PM
261 Thomas Rodger Thomas Rodger (born 1832) was raised and educated in St Andrews. Originally studying chemistry at the University of St Andrews, he later turned to the art of photography. Although St Andrews was a major centre of photography at the time, Rodger was the first photographer in town with a professional studio. He is best known for his landscape images of the town and its surroundings, but his work with portrait photography was where he first rose to critical acclaim. Roger also wrote several theoretical works on various photographic techniques. He died in 1883 at the age of 50. Person Photography Sunday 15th of November 2020 09:07:58 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:09:10 PM
404 Victor Olunloyo Victor Omololu Olunloyo is a Nigerian mathematician and politician, born in Ibadan, Nigeria in 1935. Olunloyo obtained his PhD in Mathematics from the University of St Andrews in 1961 with his thesis On the Numerical Determination of the Solutions of Eigenvalue Problems of the Sturm-Liouville Type. Upon returning to Nigeria, Olunloyo began his entry into politics. He was first appointed Commissioner for Economic Development of the Western Region and after holding various other governmental roles, became the chairman of the Western Nigerian Development Corporation. In 1983, Olunloyo ran for governor of Nigeria’s Oyo State, successfully defeating the incumbent and assuming office in October of that year. His term as governor was unfortunately cut short by a coup d’etat led by General Muhammadu Buhari that deposed the elected government just three months later. Olunloyo’s attempts to re-enter politics in the early 2000s resulted in his leaving the People’s Democratic Party, joining its rival Action Congress of Nigeria, reformed as the All Progressives Congress, Nigeria’s current ruling party. Person Monday 26th of April 2021 06:37:10 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:37:10 PM
401 Victor Olunloyo Victor Omololu Olunloyo is a Nigerian mathematician and politician, born in Ibadan, Nigeria in 1935. Olunloyo obtained his PhD in Mathematics from the University of St Andrews in 1961 with his thesis On the Numerical Determination of the Solutions of Eigenvalue Problems of the Sturm-Liouville Type. Upon returning to Nigeria, Olunloyo began his entry into politics. He was first appointed Commissioner for Economic Development of the Western Region and after holding various other governmental roles, became the chairman of the Western Nigerian Development Corporation. In 1983, Olunloyo ran for governor of Nigeria’s Oyo State, successfully defeating the incumbent and assuming office in October of that year. His term as governor was unfortunately cut short by a coup d’etat led by General Muhammadu Buhari that deposed the elected government just three months later. Olunloyo’s attempts to re-enter politics in the early 2000s resulted in his leaving the People’s Democratic Party, joining its rival Action Congress of Nigeria, reformed as the All Progressives Congress, Nigeria’s current ruling party. Person Mathematics Monday 26th of April 2021 06:17:45 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:17:45 PM
347 Wallace Martin Lindsay Wallace Lindsay, a renowned Latinist and Classical scholar, was not your typical university professor. Though he certainly did not lack in scholarly achievements, he had a general dislike for traditional education and preferred to spend his time out in nature. Lindsay's time working at the University of St Andrews was coloured by change. The University itself was undergoing many new reforms and he was teaching at the University in 1892 when women were first admitted as full-time student Person Friday 19th of February 2021 11:22:08 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:08:39 PM
333 Walter Ledermann Born in Berlin in 1911, Walter Ledermann was a German mathematician. Being Jewish, Ledermann received a scholarship from the International Student Services to study in St Andrews in 1934, effectively fleeing the rising Nazism and antisemitism in Germany at the time. Ledermann received his PhD from St Andrews in 1936 and upon his graduation, became a lecturer in the University’s Mathematical Institute until 1946. Ledermann was also an advocate for greater economic accessibility within mathematics, publishing his own series of affordable textbooks, titled the Library of Mathematics. After teaching at the Universities of Manchester and Sussex, Ledermann retired in 1978 and died in London in 2009. Person Mathematics Monday 15th of February 2021 12:40:07 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:29:27 PM
364 Willa Muir Willa Muir was particularly vocal in the emancipation and inclusion of women in University life. As a member of the Women Student’s Debating Society, she regularly expressed her progressive views on women’s role in society. She rose through the ranks of the society, becoming president in the 1910-1911 session. One of the motions carried in her year as chair was “a University training is desirable for women who are not going to take up a profession”. Muir contributed significantly to student life in St Andrews. She wrote poems that were printed in the University newspaper, The College Echoes. The College Echoes acted “as a powerful organism of influence which both reflected and formed the opinions and the attitudes of the student body”. Later in her career, she held teaching jobs and lecturer positions in Classics. In conjunction with her husband, she wrote and translated extensively. She jointly translated the works of Franz Kafka into English and wrote her own novels about the lives of women at the time. These works are noted for being particularly progressive in their views as they challenged the traditional notions of domestic and societal roles. Person Thursday 18th of March 2021 11:02:26 AM Tuesday 20th of April 2021 12:47:01 PM
306 William Drummond of Logiealmond diplomat, member of parliament, poet, philosopher Person Philosophy Friday 20th of November 2020 05:06:25 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:51:57 PM
348 William Lorimer Greek and Latin scholar, created the first translation of the new testament from its original greek to scots. Person Friday 19th of February 2021 11:43:20 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:54:19 PM
194 William McIntosh Person Natural History Thursday 17th of October 2019 03:34:03 PM Tuesday 04th of February 2020 04:38:24 PM
285 William Smith Pharmacist, together with William Smith, providing photographers with materials also learnt art of photography Founder of Smith & Govan Location of former Chemistry shop known, photograph available Person Photography Friday 20th of November 2020 02:22:48 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:51:20 PM
325 William Wilson Person Saturday 13th of February 2021 01:19:03 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:53:09 PM