William Leslie Thomson

Quick Info

Born

14 February 1868
Selkirk, Scotland

Died

3 October 1951
Edinburgh, Scotland

Summary

William Leslie Thomson studied at Edinburgh and Cambridge. He taught at Kirkwall, at Kilmarnock and at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh.

Biography

William Leslie Thomson's father was Thomas Thomson (born in Lauder, Berwick about 1843) who was a butcher. His mother was Margaret Thomson (born Edinburgh about 1843). He had several younger siblings: Margaret (born about 1870), Beatrice (born about 1872), Thomas (born about 1874), James (born about 1877), Isabella (born about 1879) and Robert (born about 1880).

William Thomson attended school in Penicuik, then at St Andrew's School, Perth. After training at the Church of Scotland Training College in Edinburgh, he entered the University of Edinburgh to study mathematics and physics, graduating in 1891. He then was awarded a scholarship to allow him to study mathematics at Caius College, Cambridge. He was a Wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos of 1894.

He married Jessie Thomson. Their daughter Lizzie was born about 1898.

Thomson became a school teacher, teaching mathematics first in in Kirkwall, then at Kilmarnock Academy. In 1899 J W Butters left George Heriot's School in Edinburgh to become Rector at the Academy in Ardrossan. Thomson was appointed to George Heriot's School to fill the vacancy and he taught there until he retired in 1928.

His obituary in the Edinburgh Mathematical Notes is at THIS LINK

Other Mathematicians born in Scotland

References (show)

E T Whittaker, William Leslie Thomson obituary, Edinburgh Mathematical Notes 38 (1952) 25-26

Additional Resources (show)

Other pages about William Leslie Thomson:

Other websites about William Leslie Thomson:

zbMATH entry

Honours (show)

Honours awarded to William Leslie Thomson

Cross-references (show)

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