250px John Watt Butters

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". ...

FRSGS (1863–1946) was a Scottish mathematician who served as Rector of

Ardrossan Academy Ardrossan Academy is a Scottish secondary school, opened in October 1882, serving Ardrossan, with pupils also coming from nearby Saltcoats, West Kilbride, Seamill, Fairlie, Largs and other areas. Notable alumni * June Andrews, nursing exper ...

from 1899 to 1928.

Early life and education

He was born in

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

in 1863, the son of Isabella Watt and John Butters, a tailor. His early education was at the Old High School in Edinburgh. Attending

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 1871 to 1876, his headmaster engendered a strong love of mathematics in him, and in later school years allowed him to act as a pupil-teacher, to younger pupils. Initially studying to be a minister at the Established Free Church College, in conjunction with studies at 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 ...

, his interests returned fully to mathematics and he graduated MA with First Class Honours in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in 1894.

Career and later life

After initial teaching roles in

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...

and

James Gillespies High School James Gillespie's High School (Scottish Gaelic: Àrd-sgoil Sheumais Ghilleasbuig) is a state-funded secondary school in Marchmont, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is a comprehensive high school, educating pupils between the ages of 11 and 18, situated at ...

he returning as a full-time teacher to

in 1888. He left in 1899 to take the role of Rector (headmaster) at

where he remained until retiral in 1928. On retiral he returned to Edinburgh. Here he mixed a highly erudite circle of societies (

Royal Scottish Geographical Society The Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) is an educational charity based in Perth, Scotland, founded in 1884. The purpose of the society is to advance the subject of geography worldwide, inspire people to learn more about the world around ...

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 ...

, the

Educational Institute of Scotland The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) is the oldest teachers' trade union in the world, having been founded in 1847 when dominies became concerned about the effect of changes to the system of education in Scotland on their professional s ...

, and the

Edinburgh Mathematical Society The Edinburgh Mathematical Society is a mathematical society for academics in Scotland. History The Society was founded in 1883 by a group of Edinburgh school teachers and academics, on the initiative of Alexander Yule Fraser FRSE and Andrew ...

) with more individual and leisurely activities focussing on his love of hill-walking. He was also an active member of the Business Committee of the

. He died in

on 11 January 1946.

Recognition

He was elected a Fellow of the

in April 1896, 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 ...

Peter Guthrie Tait Peter Guthrie Tait (28 April 18314 July 1901) was a Scottish Mathematical physics, mathematical physicist and early pioneer in thermodynamics. He is best known for the mathematical physics textbook ''Treatise on Natural Philosophy'', which he ...

David Fowler Lowe David Fowler Lowe FRSE Legum Doctor, LLD (11 January 1843 – 17 January 1924) was headmaster of George Heriot's School from 1880 to 1908. Life Lowe was born in Leslie, Fife on 11 January 1843. He was educated locally and then went to the Univer ...

and

John Sturgeon Mackay John Sturgeon Mackay FRSE (1843–1914) was a Scottish mathematician and academic author. Life He was born on 22 October 1843 at Auchencairn near Kirkcudbright the son of John Mackay and his wife Jessie Sturgeon. The family moved to Perth earl ...

. He served as president of the

from 1900 to 1901.

Family

He was married to the sister of Dr Arthur Crichton Mitchell. They had two daughters and a son.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butters, John Watt 1863 births 1946 deaths Scottish mathematicians Scientists from Edinburgh People educated at George Heriot's School Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh