Abraham Robertson
Encyclopedia
Abraham or Abram Robertson (4 November 1751 – 4 December 1826), was a Scottish
mathematician
and astronomer
. He held the Savilian Chair of Geometry at the University of Oxford
from 1797 to 1809.
Robertson was born at Duns
, Berwickshire
, the son of Abraham Robertson, “a man of humble station”. He attended school at Great Ryle in Northumberland
, and later at Duns. At age 24, he moved to London
, he had hopes of travelling to the East Indies
, but his patron died.
He took himself alone to Oxford, where he sought to finance himself by opening an evening school for mechanics. This failed, and he served for a while as an assistant to a local apothecary. He then gained patronage from John Smith (mathematician)
(17211796), the Savilian professor of geometry. Robertson competed a Bachelor of Arts
in 1779 and completed his Master in Arts in 1782.
In 1784, he deputized for Smith, who was then acting as a physician at Cheltenham
and then followed Smith as Savilian professor of geometry. His lectures were considered clear, and he was always anxious to encourage his pupils. Thus in 1804 he printed a demonstration of Euclid
v, Definition 5, for the benefit of beginners.
In 1789, Robertson was presented by the dean and canons of Christ Church
to the vicarage of Ravensthorpe
, near Northampton
, but his principal residence was still in Oxford. He married, about 1790, Miss Bacon of Drayton
in Berkshire
, who died a few years after he became professor. They had no children.
In 1795, the Royal Society
elected him a fellow in recognition of his work on conic sections.
Robertson died on 4 December 1826 at the Radcliffe Observatory
, Oxford, and was buried in the churchyard of St Peter-in-the-East
.
Robertson's chief works were the following:
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
. He held the Savilian Chair of Geometry at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
from 1797 to 1809.
Robertson was born at Duns
Duns
Duns is the county town of the historic county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders.-Early history:Duns law, the original site of the town of Duns, has the remains of an Iron Age hillfort at its summit...
, Berwickshire
Berwickshire
Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a registration county, a committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy area of Scotland, on the border with England. The town after which it is named—Berwick-upon-Tweed—was lost by Scotland to England in 1482...
, the son of Abraham Robertson, “a man of humble station”. He attended school at Great Ryle in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, and later at Duns. At age 24, he moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he had hopes of travelling to the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
, but his patron died.
He took himself alone to Oxford, where he sought to finance himself by opening an evening school for mechanics. This failed, and he served for a while as an assistant to a local apothecary. He then gained patronage from John Smith (mathematician)
John Smith (mathematician)
John Smith was an English mathematician: He held the Savilian Chair of Geometry at the University of Oxford from 1766 to 1797....
(17211796), the Savilian professor of geometry. Robertson competed a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1779 and completed his Master in Arts in 1782.
In 1784, he deputized for Smith, who was then acting as a physician at Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
and then followed Smith as Savilian professor of geometry. His lectures were considered clear, and he was always anxious to encourage his pupils. Thus in 1804 he printed a demonstration of Euclid
Euclid
Euclid , fl. 300 BC, also known as Euclid of Alexandria, was a Greek mathematician, often referred to as the "Father of Geometry". He was active in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I...
v, Definition 5, for the benefit of beginners.
In 1789, Robertson was presented by the dean and canons of Christ Church
Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the diocese of Oxford, which consists of the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. It is also, uniquely, the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford.-History:...
to the vicarage of Ravensthorpe
Ravensthorpe
-United Kingdom:*Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury in West Yorkshire**Ravensthorpe railway station*Ravensthorpe, Northamptonshire*Ravensthorpe, Peterborough in Cambridgeshire-Australia:*Ravensthorpe, Western Australia**Shire of Ravensthorpe**Ravensthorpe Airport...
, near Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, but his principal residence was still in Oxford. He married, about 1790, Miss Bacon of Drayton
Drayton
- In the United Kingdom :* Drayton, Hampshire* Drayton, Leicestershire* Drayton, Lincolnshire* Drayton, Norfolk* Drayton, Northamptonshire** Drayton Reservoir, Northamptonshire* Drayton, Cherwell, Oxfordshire* Drayton, Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, who died a few years after he became professor. They had no children.
In 1795, the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
elected him a fellow in recognition of his work on conic sections.
Robertson died on 4 December 1826 at the Radcliffe Observatory
Radcliffe Observatory
Radcliffe Observatory was the astronomical observatory of Oxford University from 1773 until 1934, when the Radcliffe Trustees sold it and erected a new observatory in Pretoria, South Africa. It is a grade I listed building.- History :...
, Oxford, and was buried in the churchyard of St Peter-in-the-East
St Peter-in-the-East
St Peter-in-the-East is a 12th century church on Queen's Lane, north of the High Street in central Oxford, England. It forms part of St Edmund Hall, one of the Oxford University colleges. It is now deconsecrated and houses the college library for graduates and undergraduates...
.
Robertson's chief works were the following:
- Sectionum conicarum libri septem (1792), , dedicated to Dr Cyril Jackson, dean of Christ Church, was with an exhaustive survey of the history of the field.
- Calculations for the Earl of LiverpoolEarl of LiverpoolEarl of Liverpool is a title that has been created twice in British history. The first time was in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1796 for Charles Jenkinson, 1st Baron Hawkesbury, a favourite of King George III...
's Coins of the Realm (1805) - He superintended the publication of the works of Archimedes which were prepared for the press by TorelliTorelliTorelli may refer to:*Torelli Bicycles, 40-year-old custom bicycle and parts manufacturer*Giacomo Torelli, seventeenth century Italian set designer*Giuseppe Torelli, Baroque composer from Bologna...
(1792), and, with much effort, the second volume of BradleyBradleyBradley is an English masculine given name. It comes from a surname and a place name meaning "broad wood" or "broad clearing" in Old English.It is also an Anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic name O’Brolachán from County Tyrone in Ireland...
's Greenwich Royal Observatory Astronomical Observations, commenced by Thomas HornsbyThomas HornsbyThomas Hornsby FRS was a British astronomer and mathematician.Hornsby became a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford in 1760....
(1st ser., 1798–1805). - He declined to publish the manuscripts of Thomas HarriotThomas HarriotThomas Harriot was an English astronomer, mathematician, ethnographer, and translator. Some sources give his surname as Harriott or Hariot or Heriot. He is sometimes credited with the introduction of the potato to Great Britain and Ireland...
. Two of Robertson's five papers in the Philosophical Transactions were fiercely criticized, and he responded by publishing a "Reply to a Critical and Monthly Reviewer" (1808). He contributed several papers to the first series of the British Critic, and two to the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, in 1822. - 1801: Robertson gave evidence before a committee of the House of Commons which reported in 1801 on the expediency of replacing London Bridge by a single arch. In 1807 he graduated BD and DD.
- 1801: The same year he was in London making calculations for Lord Grenville's system of finance, and in 1808 he drew up the tables for Spencer PercevalSpencer PercevalSpencer Perceval, KC was a British statesman and First Lord of the Treasury, making him de facto Prime Minister. He is the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated...
's system of increasing the sinking fund by granting life annuities on government security.