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Patrick Wilson (astronomer)
Patrick Wilson FRSE LLD (often Anglicised as Peter Wilson) (1743 – 1811) was a British astronomer, type-founder, mathematician and meteorologist. He was the Regius Professor of Practical Astronomy at Glasgow University from 1784 to 1799. In 1783 he was one of the several joint founders of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Life He was born on 16 January 1743, the son of Alexander Wilson, who preceded him as Regius Professor of Practical Astronomy at Glasgow University. Patrick was appointed his successor in 1784 before his father quit the role. Probably due to the failing health of his father, they shared the role until his father's death in 1786. He was Clerk of the University Senate from 1783 to 1795 and 1796 to 1799, and was awarded an honorary LLD in 1800. He was the second son of Alexander Wilson, the first Regius Professor of Practical Astronomy at the University. In 1782 he was employed as an assistant to his father, to take care of instruments, make observat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is an art museum on Queen Street, Edinburgh. The gallery holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. It also holds the Scottish National Photography Collection. Since 1889 it has been housed in its red sandstone Gothic revival building, designed by Robert Rowand Anderson and built between 1885 and 1890 to accommodate the gallery and the museum collection of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. The building was donated by John Ritchie Findlay, owner of ''The Scotsman'' newspaper. In 1985 the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland was amalgamated with the Royal Scottish Museum, and later moved to Chambers Street as part of the National Museum of Scotland. The Portrait Gallery expanded to take over the whole building, and reopened on 1 December 2011 after being closed since April 2009 for the first comprehensive refurbishment in its history, carried out by Page\Park Architects. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Meikleham (astronomer)
William Meikleham LLD (1771–1846) was Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Glasgow from 1799 to 1803. He resigned the Chair of Astronomy to become Professor of Natural Philosophy (Physics) in 1803, a position he held until his death in 1846. Meikleham's first post was Rector of Ayr Academy in 1792. In 1794 he was employed as assistant to the Professor of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow. He conducted his duties so successfully that he continued to take classes after the incumbent Professor's death and during the tenure of his successor. In August 1799, King George III issued a commission to William Meikleham to be Professor of Practical Astronomy and Observer at the University of Glasgow, and on 29 October 1799 he was admitted to office. Professor William Meikleham had none of the fiercely conservative attitudes of others in the University. He proved to be a much more active and dynamic teacher than his colleagues, including his successor in the Chair of Practic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
18th-century Scottish Mathematicians
The 18th century lasted from January 1, 1701 ( MDCCI) to December 31, 1800 ( MDCCC). During the 18th century, elements of Enlightenment thinking culminated in the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions. During the century, slave trading and human trafficking expanded across the shores of the Atlantic, while declining in Russia, China, and Korea. Revolutions began to challenge the legitimacy of monarchical and aristocratic power structures, including the structures and beliefs that supported slavery. The Industrial Revolution began during mid-century, leading to radical changes in human society and the environment. Western historians have occasionally defined the 18th century otherwise for the purposes of their work. For example, the "short" 18th century may be defined as 1715–1789, denoting the period of time between the death of Louis XIV of France and the start of the French Revolution, with an emphasis on directly interconnected events. To historians who expand th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
