Principal (office of)

The Principal and Vice-Chancellor is the most senior member of University staff. From 1585-1620 it was combimed with the role of Rector. The 'Vice-Chancellor' element of the title emerged from the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858.

Chronological list

1586 Robert Rollock (1555-1599) (previously Regent)

1599 Henry Charteris (c1565–1628)

1620 Patrick Sands

1622 Robert Boyd

1623 John Adamson

1652 William Colville (did not take up office)

1653 Robert Leighton (c1611-1684)

1662 William Colville

1675 Andrew Cant

1685 Alexander Monro

1690 Gilbert Rule (c1629-1701)

1703 William Carstares

1716 William Wishart "primus"

1730 William Hamilton

1732 James Smith

1736 William Wishart "secundus"

1754 John Gowdie

1762 William Robertson (1721-1793)

1793 George Husband Baird (1761-1840)

1840 John Lee

1859 Sir David Brewster (1781-1868)

1868 Sir Alexander Grant

1885 Sir William Muir

1903 Sir William Turner

1916 Sir Alfred James Ewing (1855-1935)

1929 Sir Thomas Henry Holland (1868-1947)

1944 Sir John Fraser (1885-1947)

1948 Sir Edward Victor Appleton (1892-1965)

1965 Sir Michael Meredith Swann (1920-1990)

1974 Sir Hugh Norwood Robson (1917-1977)

1979 Sir John Harrison Burnett (1922-2007)

1987 Sir David Smith

1994 Sir Stewart Sutherland, Baron Sutherland of Houndwood

2002 Sir Timothy O'Shea