19/20th-century Scottish mathematician
George Pirie (19 July 1843 – 21 August 1904) was a Scottish mathematician, mathematical scientist, and Reverend in the Church of Scotland. He was an expert in the field of dynamics and the approximation of π .
Early life and education
Pirie was the son of Very Rev William Robinson Pirie and his wife, Margaret Chalmers Forbes, daughter of Very Rev Lewis William Forbes . He was born in the manse at Dyce near Aberdeen on 19 July 1843.[ 1]
He was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School . He then studied Mathematics and Physics (then called Natural Philosophy) at The University of Aberdeen under Prof David Thomson . He graduated MA in 1862. He then won a place at Queens' College, Cambridge . He was Fifth Wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos of 1866.[ 2]
Career
Pirie was a Fellow of Queens' College from 1866 to 1888.[ 2]
He lectured at Cambridge from 1866 and in 1878 was offered the chair as Professor of Mathematics at Aberdeen University in replacement of Prof Frederick Fuller .[ 3]
Pirie was elected a member of the London Mathematical Society in November 1881.[ 4] He also took part in the activities of the Aberdeen Branch of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society .[ 5] [ 6] Since 1881 he was also a member of the Aberdeen Philosophical Society, and served as a Vice-President of the society in 1900.[ 7]
Personal life
The grave of Rev George Pirie, St Machar's Cathedral
He lived at 33 College Bounds close to King's College in Old Aberdeen .[ 8]
He was married to Anne Elizabeth Reid daughter of Rev Reid of Auchindoir .
Their children included Margaret Forbes Pirie (1884–1963) and Elizabeth Mary Pirie (1888–1971).[ 9]
He died unexpectedly at Braemar on 21 August 1904, from heart failure.[ 10] He is buried next to his parents on the north side of St Machar's Cathedral in Old Aberdeen .
Recognition
He was awarded an honorary doctorate (LL.D ) by St. Andrews University in 1896.[ 2] [ 11]
Publications
References
^ Lockyer, Sir Norman (8 September 1904). "Notes" . Nature . 70 (1819): 456–457. Bibcode :1904Natur..70..456. . doi :10.1038/070456a0 .
^ a b c "George Pirie" . Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society . s2-2 (1): 1. 1 January 1905. doi :10.1112/plms/s2-2.1.1-v .
^ "Scotland in 1883 and the Edinburgh Mathematical Society" . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive . Retrieved 22 September 2019 .
^ S. Roberts Esq., F.R.S. (November 1881). "Eighteenth Session, 1881–82". Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society . s1-13: 1–4. doi :10.1112/plms/s1-13.1.1 .
^ Proceedings of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Meetings in February. , Scottish Geographical Magazine , vol. 20, 1904, pp. 150–151
^ Roy C. Bridges (1985). "The foundation and early years of the Aberdeen centre of the royal Scottish geographical society". Scottish Geographical Magazine . 101 (2): 77–84. doi :10.1080/00369228518736621 .
^ Aberdeen Philosophical Society , Transactions of the Aberdeen Philosophical Society, vol. III, 1900, pp. 221–223
^ Aberdeen Post Office Directory 1890
^ Grave of George Pirie, St Machars Cathedral
^ "Scientific News" . English Mechanic and World of Science . 80 (2057): 60. 26 August 1904.
^ Aberdeen Alumni at Other Universities , Aberdeen University Studies, No. 51, 1911, p. 21
^ "Book review: Lessons on Rigid Dynamics". Nature . 13 : 323. 1876. doi :10.1038/013323a0 . S2CID 35633040 .
^ "Review of A Short Account... ". Nature . 16 : 226–227. 19 July 1877. doi :10.1038/016226c0 .