Difference between revisions of "Foundation of Chair of Chemistry, 1713"

From Our History
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Created page with "The 'Chair of Physik and Chymistry' was established in 1713, with James Crawford (1682-1731) as first professor. A Chair of Chemistry at Cambridge predated Edinburgh by a deca...")
 
Line 1: Line 1:
−
The 'Chair of Physik and Chymistry' was established in 1713, with James Crawford (1682-1731) as first professor. A Chair of Chemistry at Cambridge predated Edinburgh by a decade. Oxford was not to have one until the 19th century. Under Andrew Plummer (1697-1756) and John Innes (d1773) the course was offered as being taught 'according to the Method of the celebrated Herman Boerhaave, at Leyden'. The College Physik Garden was also well utilised. Amongst the students of this period was James Hutton (1726-1797) who went on to be recognised as one of science's great innovators and a founder member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.  
+
The Creation of the Chair of Chemistry at Edinburgh in 1713 was a vital step towards the [[Foundation of Faculty of Medicine, 1726]] in 1726, and help lay the foundations of what would become the Faculty of Science in 1893.
  
−
In the meantime, in a similar way, the impulse
+
On 9 December 1713, the Town Council of Edinburgh appointed James Crawford (1682-1731) to be Professor of Physic and Chemistry, noting that this would obviate the needs for Scots to travel abroad to study these subjects. Crawford was allotted two apartments in the college for teaching purposes but was awarded no salary. He appears to have given courses on an irregular basis rather than annually.
−
coming from without, a ProfessorshipjoL Chcmiofr y
 
−
had been created in the University of Edinburgh.  
 
−
This occurred in December 171 3; it has been
 
  
−
1 The Deacon of the Surgeons was at this time, and indeed till
+
== Sources ==
−
1833, a member, ex officio, of the Town Council.
 
  
−
 
+
*[[Alexander Bower (fl. 1804-1830)|Alexander Bower]], ''The History of the University of Edinburgh''. 3 vols. Edinburgh, 1817-1830.
−
 
+
*[[Sir Alexander Grant]], ''The Story of the University of Edinburgh during its First Three Hundred Years'', 2 vols (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1884)
−
1713J THE FIRST PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY. 297
 
−
 
 
−
observed that in the course of the same year a Chair
 
−
of Chemistry had been established at Cambridge,
 
−
and possibly this circumstance may have been
 
−
present to the mind of Dr. James Craufurd, who
 
−
had been Boerhaaves pupil at Leyden, and who
 
−
appears to have made proposals to the patrons of
 
−
the College that he should be authorised to teach
 
−
Chemistry in Edinburgh. These advances were
 
−
graciously received by the Town Council, who,
 
−
using the same preamble as they had employed in
 
−
creating the first Medical Professorships in 1685 (that
 
−
the College of this City had from its origin been
 
−
erected into a University, etc.), and adding that it
 
−
was expedient to provide for Scotsmen the means of  
 
−
learning Physic and Chemistry at home, proceeded
 
−
to " elect, nominate, and choose Dr. James Craufurd
 
−
to be Professor of Physic and Chemistry in the said
 
−
University, and appoint convenient rooms to be
 
−
appropriated to him." They added, as they had
 
−
done when they consented to make James Craig
 
−
Professor of Civil Law, that Dr. Craufurd was " not
 
−
to expect any salary as Professor." These terms
 
−
were accepted ; and in this permissive way the
 
−
Chair, afterwards made illustrious by the name of
 
−
Black, came into existence. Craufurd does not
 
−
appear to have given regular annual courses of
 
−
Chemistry. It is recorded of him that he gave such
 
−
courses "sometimes." 1 Perhaps he did not find
 
−
adequate encouragement from the attendance of  
 
−
Students ; and it must be remembered that he was
 
−
 
 
−
1 Bower's History ', ii. 126 and 170.
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
298 THE STORY OF THE UNIVERSITY. [1720.  
 
−
 
 
−
Professor of " Physic " also, and may have lectured
 
−
in that capacity.
 
  
 
[[Category:Events|Creation of Chair of Chemistry, 1713]]
 
[[Category:Events|Creation of Chair of Chemistry, 1713]]

Revision as of 12:56, 23 July 2014

The Creation of the Chair of Chemistry at Edinburgh in 1713 was a vital step towards the Foundation of Faculty of Medicine, 1726 in 1726, and help lay the foundations of what would become the Faculty of Science in 1893.

On 9 December 1713, the Town Council of Edinburgh appointed James Crawford (1682-1731) to be Professor of Physic and Chemistry, noting that this would obviate the needs for Scots to travel abroad to study these subjects. Crawford was allotted two apartments in the college for teaching purposes but was awarded no salary. He appears to have given courses on an irregular basis rather than annually.

Sources

  • Alexander Bower, The History of the University of Edinburgh. 3 vols. Edinburgh, 1817-1830.
  • Sir Alexander Grant, The Story of the University of Edinburgh during its First Three Hundred Years, 2 vols (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1884)
Retrieved from ‘https://ourhistory.is.ed.ac.uk/index.php?title=Foundation_of_Chair_of_Chemistry,_1713&oldid=3788’