James Morton Hyslop FRSE FRSA LLD (1908–1984) was a Scottish mathematician and educationalist primarily linked to South Africa. He founded the Royal College of Nairobi in 1961.

Life

He was born in

Dumbarton Dumbarton (; also sco, Dumbairton; ) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven flows into the Clyde estuary. In 2006, it had an estimated population of 19,990. Dumbarton was the ca ...

on 12 September 1908 the son of William Hyslop. He attended Glasgow High School then

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

where he graduated MA. He then went to

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...

where he gained a BA and doctorate (PhD). His dissertation in 1925 was entitled The Theory of Infinite Bilinear Forms and of Linear Integral Equations, his advisor being Ernest William Hobson. he then returned to

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

to lecture in Mathematics. The university granted him a further doctorate (DSc) in 1939. His career was interrupted by the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

during which he served with the

RAF The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

in Bomber Command. He was created a Pilot Officer in September 1941. In 1947 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were

Robert Pollock Gillespie Robert Pollock Gillespie FRSE (1903–1977) was a Scottish mathematician. He was twice President of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society (1946–7 and 1968–9). He published several important books on mathematics. Life He was born on 21 Novembe ...

, Edward Copson, James Cossar and Arthur Erdelyi. In 1947 he accepted a professorship at the

University of Witwatersrand The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (), is a multi-campus South African public research university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University or Wits ( or ). The university ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

. He continued this role until 1960 when he moved to

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper h ...

where he transformed the Technical College of Nairobi into a university college, creating the Royal College of Nairobi, and acting as its Principal until 1963. It was later renamed the

University of Nairobi The University of Nairobi (uonbi or UoN; ) is a collegiate research university based in Nairobi. It is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution dates back to 1956, it did not become an independent univer ...

. In 1963 he returned to

as Vice Chancellor of

Rhodes University Rhodes University is a public research university located in Makhanda (Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, Rhodes University is the province's oldest ...

Grahamstown Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London. Makhanda is the largest town in the Makana ...

. Glasgow University granted him a third doctorate (LLD) in 1967 and Rhodes granted him a fourth (also LLD) in 1976. He died in Port Elizabeth in

on 18 May 1984.

Publications

*''Infinite Series'' (1942 plus several later editions) *''Real Variable'' (1960)

Family

In 1935 he married his wife, Helen Margaret Hyslop.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hyslop, James Morton 1908 births 1984 deaths Alumni of the University of Glasgow Alumni of the University of Cambridge Academics of the University of Glasgow Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Scottish mathematicians