Robert Forsyth Scott
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Forsyth Scott (born: 28 July 1849 died: 18 November 1933 in Cambridge, England) was a mathematician
, barrister
and Master of St John's College, Cambridge
, near Edinburgh
, the eldest son of Reverend George Scott, a Minister in the church at Dairsie
and Mary Forsyth, daughter of the Edinburgh advocate Robert Forsyth.
Scott was educated at the High School, Edinburgh, then in Stuttgart
before becoming a student at University College, London. In 1870, while a student at University College, London, he was awarded a Whitworth Exhibition. He went on to read mathematics at St John's College, where he was fourth wrangler in the Tripos
in 1875 and was elected to a fellowship in 1877.
After publishing The Theory of Determinants and Their Applications in 1880, Scott turned his attention to the law, become a barrister
in 1883, and to institutional history, including histories of St. John's College, Cambridge, published between 1882 and 1907.
In 1908 he was appointed as the Master of St John's College , a position he held until his death in 1933, and from 1910 to 1912 he served as Vice-chancellor of the University. On his death he left the library of St John's one of the largest collection of Burmese manuscripts in Europe
.
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and Master of St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
Life
Scott was born in LeithLeith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
, near Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, the eldest son of Reverend George Scott, a Minister in the church at Dairsie
Dairsie
Dairsie, or Osnaburgh, is a village in north-east Fife, Scotland. It is south-southwest of Leuchars Junction, and east-northeast of Cupar on the A91 Stirling to St Andrews road. The village grew out of two smaller settlements , and developed principally around the industry of weaving...
and Mary Forsyth, daughter of the Edinburgh advocate Robert Forsyth.
Scott was educated at the High School, Edinburgh, then in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
before becoming a student at University College, London. In 1870, while a student at University College, London, he was awarded a Whitworth Exhibition. He went on to read mathematics at St John's College, where he was fourth wrangler in the Tripos
Tripos
The University of Cambridge, England, divides the different kinds of honours bachelor's degree by Tripos , plural Triposes. The word has an obscure etymology, but may be traced to the three-legged stool candidates once used to sit on when taking oral examinations...
in 1875 and was elected to a fellowship in 1877.
After publishing The Theory of Determinants and Their Applications in 1880, Scott turned his attention to the law, become a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in 1883, and to institutional history, including histories of St. John's College, Cambridge, published between 1882 and 1907.
In 1908 he was appointed as the Master of St John's College , a position he held until his death in 1933, and from 1910 to 1912 he served as Vice-chancellor of the University. On his death he left the library of St John's one of the largest collection of Burmese manuscripts in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Publications
- History of St John's College, Cambridge
- The theory of determinants and their applications (with George Ballard),Cambridge University Press, 1904.