David Fowler Lowe

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and Literature, letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". ...

LLD (11 January 1843 – 17 January 1924) was headmaster of

George Heriot's School George Heriot's School is a private primary and secondary day school on Lauriston Place in the Lauriston area of Edinburgh, Scotland. In the early 21st century, it has more than 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff, and 80 non-teaching staff. It was ...

from 1880 to 1908.

Life

Lowe was born in

Leslie, Fife Leslie (Scottish Gaelic: Fiodh Chill) is a large village and parish on the northern tip of the River Leven Valley, to the west of Glenrothes in Fife. According to the population estimates (2006), the village has a population of 3,092. The villa ...

on 11 January 1843. He was educated locally and then went to the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

where he graduated with an MA around 1864, having specialised in French and German. He began his career teaching English in George Heriot's School then moved to teach French. He left for five years to be Rector of

Bathgate Academy Bathgate Academy is a Mixed-sex education, mixed secondary school in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, also serving the nearby town of Blackburn, West Lothian, Blackburn. History Established by the will of John Newland (a Jamaican-plantation sla ...

, returning in 1880 to succeed Frederick W. Bedford as headmaster. In 1886, following some provisions of the Scottish Education Act, he oversaw the transition of the school from an Endowed School into a more standard Secondary School for Boys. Through this he managed to still maintain the school as a fee-paying school. In 1888 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...

. His proposers were

George Chrystal George Chrystal FRSE FRS (8 March 1851 – 3 November 1911) was a Scottish mathematician. He is primarily known for his books on algebra and his studies of seiches (wave patterns in large inland bodies of water) which earned him a Gold Meda ...

, Sir John Murray, Alexander Buchan and

John George Bartholomew John George Bartholomew (22 March 1860 – 14 April 1920) was a British cartographer and geographer. As a holder of a royal warrant, he used the title "Cartographer to the King"; for this reason he was sometimes known by the epithet "the Pri ...

. He was an active member of the Society and did much to promote membership. He was given an honorary doctorate (LLD) by the University of Edinburgh in 1899. While headmaster he lived in rooms in the school. He retired as headmaster in 1908 and was succeeded by

John Brown Clark John Brown Clark or Clarke CBE LLD FRSE (30 April 1861 – 19 July 1947) was a Scottish mathematician. He was headmaster of George Heriot's School from 1908 to 1926. He served as Vice President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1931–34. Life H ...

. On retiral he moved to 19 George Square, not far from the school.Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1911–12 From 1903 to 1917 he served on the Court of the University. He died on 17 January 1924 aged 81. He is buried in the

Grange Cemetery The Grange (originally St Giles' Grange) is an affluent suburb of Edinburgh, just south of the city centre, with Morningside and Greenhill to the west, Newington to the east, The Meadows park and Marchmont to the north, and Blackford Hi ...

in southern Edinburgh. The grave lies on the eastern wall near the south-east corner.

Family

He was married to Margaret Ann Plummer (1853–1932).

References

1843 births 1924 deaths Alumni of the University of Edinburgh People from Leslie, Fife Scottish schoolteachers {{UK-academic-bio-stub