Arthur Stanley Ramsey (9 September 1867 – 31 December 1954) was a British mathematician and author of mathematics and physics textbooks. He was Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and its President from 1915–52.

Biography

The son of Rev. Adam Averell Ramsey of Dewsbury, a

Congregational Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

minister, and his wife Hephzibah, Ramsey was educated at Batley Grammar School and Magdalene College, Cambridge where he read Mathematics (B.A. (6th Wrangler) 1889;

M.A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

1893). He was Assistant Master at

Fettes College Fettes College () is a co-educational independent boarding and day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, with over two-thirds of its pupils in residence on campus. The school was originally a boarding school for boys only and became co-ed in 1983. In ...

from 1890 to 1897, moving into academia as Fellow of Magdalene in 1897. He was

Bursar A bursar (derived from " bursa", Latin for '' purse'') is a professional administrator in a school or university often with a predominantly financial role. In the United States, bursars usually hold office only at the level of higher education ( ...

of the college, 1904–13 and

University Lecturer Lecturer is an academic rank within many universities, though the meaning of the term varies somewhat from country to country. It generally denotes an academic expert who is hired to teach on a full- or part-time basis. They may also conduct res ...

in Mathematics, 1926-32. As a tutor, he supervised the maths work of

William Empson Sir William Empson (27 September 1906 – 15 April 1984) was an English literary critic and poet, widely influential for his practice of closely reading literary works, a practice fundamental to New Criticism. His best-known work is his first ...

, who would go on to apply path-breaking tools of analytical logic to the criticism of literature. In 1902 Ramsey married (Mary) Agnes (1875-1927), daughter of Rev. Plumpton Stravenson Wilson, vicar of Horbling, Lincs. and sister to the cricketer and footballer Geoffrey Plumpton Wilson. Mary herself was academically accomplished, having earned a Class II Honours Certificate in Modern History from St Hugh's College, Oxford. In April 1913, Mary stood for election to the Cambridge

Board of Guardians Boards of guardians were ''ad hoc'' authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930. England and Wales Boards of guardians were created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, replacing the parish overseers of the po ...

in Bridge Ward, and was elected with 321 votes. Ramsey and his wife had two daughters, Bridget and Margaret, and two sons, philosopher and mathematician

Frank Plumpton Ramsey Frank Plumpton Ramsey (; 22 February 1903 – 19 January 1930) was a British philosopher, mathematician, and economist who made major contributions to all three fields before his death at the age of 26. He was a close friend of Ludwig Wittgenste ...

(1903–1930) and

Michael Ramsey Arthur Michael Ramsey, Baron Ramsey of Canterbury, (14 November 1904 – 23 April 1988) was an English Anglican bishop and life peer. He served as the 100th Archbishop of Canterbury. He was appointed on 31 May 1961 and held the office until 1 ...

(1904–1988) who was the Archbishop of Canterbury for thirteen years. Mary Agnes was killed in 1927 in a road traffic accident. He is buried in the Ascension Parish Burial Ground in Cambridge; his son Frank and wife Mary are buried in the same plot.A Guide to Churchill College, Cambridge: text by Dr

Mark Goldie Mark Goldie is an English historian and Professor of Intellectual History at Churchill College, Cambridge. He has written on the English political theorist John Locke and is a member of the Early Modern History and Political Thought and Intellec ...

, pages 62 and 63 (2009) His home, Howfield, Buckingham Road, is now part of

Cambridge Blackfriars Cambridge Blackfriars is a priory of the Dominican Order in Cambridgeshire, England. It was established in 1238, dissolved in 1538 and re-established in 1938. It continues to operate as a Dominican priory and, in 2000, became the novitiate hous ...

Publications

* 1913: (with

W. H. Besant William Henry Besant (1 November 1828 – 2 June 1917) was a British mathematician, brother of novelist Walter Besant. Another brother, Frank, was the husband of Annie Besant. Parentage William was born in Portsea, Portsmouth on 1 November 182 ...

A Treatise on Hydromechanics
from Google Books. * 1956: ''An Introduction to the Theory of Newtonian Attraction'',

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press in the world. It is also the King's Printer. Cambridge University Pre ...

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ramsey, Arthur Stanley 1867 births Fellows of Magdalene College, Cambridge 1954 deaths 19th-century British mathematicians 20th-century British mathematicians British science writers People educated at Batley Grammar School Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford Place of birth missing