by [Anon.], rev. Julia Tompson
© Oxford University Press 2004 All rights reserved
Bland, Miles (1786-1867), mathematician, was born at Sedbergh, Yorkshire, on 11 October 1786, the son of Thomas and Esther Bland. He was educated at Sedbergh School and at St John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1808, as second wrangler and Smith's prizeman. He was afterwards elected fellow (5 April 1808) and tutor of his college, and acted as moderator (1814-16) and public examiner (1817-18) in mathematics. He has been described as a 'strong Tory, active in the University as well as his college' (Venn, Alum. Cant.). He was twice married: his first wife was Ann, daughter of T. Templeman of Ramsgate, and his second Emma, daughter of Claud Russell of Binfield, Berkshire; he had two sons and at least one daughter. He was ordained in 1810 and became rector of Lilley, Hertfordshire, in 1823 and a prebendary of Wells Cathedral in 1826, when he proceeded DD.
Bland wrote both mathematical works and biblical commentaries. His published mathematics consists mainly of textbooks and books of problems, for use at both school and university level. His Algebraical Problems (1812) was a very popular school textbook; a ninth edition was published in 1849. He also produced books of exercises in geometry, mechanics, and philosophy. His biblical studies resulted in the publication of commentaries on the gospels of St Matthew (1828) and St Mark (1829). He was a fellow of the Royal Society, of the Society of Antiquaries, and of the Royal Astronomical Society. He died on 27 December 1867 at 5 Royal Crescent, Ramsgate.
[ANON.], rev. JULIA TOMPSON
Sources
Men of the time (1868)
N&Q, 6th ser., 9 (1884), 218
Venn, Alum. Cant.
Boase, Mod. Eng. biog.
d. cert.
Archives
St John Cam., notebooks and papers relating to mathematics, classics, and theology
U. Lpool, Sydney Jones Library, papers | RS, corresp. with Sir John Herschel
Wealth at death
under £16,000: administration with will, 17 April 1868, CGPLA Eng. & Wales
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