John Sturgeon Mackay

Quick Info

Born

22 October 1843
Auchencairn near Kirkcudbright, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland

Died

26 March 1914
Edinburgh, Scotland

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Summary

John S Mackay was a Scottish school teacher who was the first President of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society. He published numerous papers on Geometry.

Biography

John S Mackay's parents were Jessie Sturgeon and John Mackay. He was brought up in Perth were he attended Perth Academy. He entered the University of St Andrews in 1959 and he graduated with an M.A., completing the course in 1863, but only graduating formally two years later.

Mackay was appointed as a Mathematics Master at Perth Academy in 1863, spending three years in this post while he attended the Theological Hall with the intention of entering the United Presbyterian Church. However, he decided that he would make teaching his career and in 1866 he was appointed as a Mathematics Master at the Edinburgh Academy; he held this post until he retired in 1904.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh on 6 February 1882 having been proposed by Peter Guthrie Tait, George Chrystal, H C Fleeming Jenkin, Alexander Dickson. He served the Royal Society of Edinburgh as a Councillor from 1895 to 1898, and again from 1900 to 1903.

Mackay was an active member of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society. He is famed as the first President of the Society in 1883.

His obituary, written by George A Gibson, was published in the Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society. You can see it at THIS LINK.

He was also a member of the Franco-Scottish Society. He was honoured by the University of St Andrews when he was awarded an honorary LL.D. in 1884.

Mackay was unmarried. He lived at 69 Northumberland Street, Edinburgh, where he died at the age of 70.

References (show)

1. G A Gibson, John Sturgeon Mackay, M.A., LL.D., Proc. Edinburgh Math. Soc. 32 (1913-14), 151-159.

Additional Resources (show)

Other pages about John S Mackay:

1. Papers in the Proceedings and Notes of the EMS
2. Gazette obituary
3. Obituary: EMS
4. M Harveit: Death of a Schoolmaster

Other websites about John S Mackay:

1. zbMATH entry

Honours (show)

Honours awarded to John S Mackay

1. Lecturer at the EMS
2. Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Elected 1882
3. EMS Founder Member 1883
4. EMS President 1883
5. EMS Honorary Fellow 1894

Cross-references (show)

1. History Topics: The Edinburgh Mathematical Society 1883-1933
2. Societies: Mathematical Association
3. Student Projects: D'Arcy Thompson and Mathematics: Chapter 1
4. Other: EMS Founder Members
5. Other: EMS Honorary Members
6. Other: EMS Presidents
7. Other: Earliest Known Uses of Some of the Words of Mathematics (N)
8. Other: Edinburgh Mathematical Society Lecturers 1883-2024
9. Other: Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Written by J J O'Connor and E F Robertson
Last Update August 2007