John Adair (surveyor)
Encyclopedia
John Adair was a Scottish
surveyor and mapmaker, noted for the excellence of his maps.
He first came to public notice in 1683, with a prospectus published in Edinburgh
for a "Scottish Atlas" stating that the Privy Council of Scotland
had engaged Adair, a "mathematician and skilfull mechanic", to survey the shires of Scotland. He surveyed the coast of Scotland from 1686, and was made a fellow of the Royal Society
in 1688. The only part of the coastal survey appeared in 1703.
He was perhaps the first Scottish map-maker actively to use triangulation
in his work. Twelve manuscript maps survive from his work at this time, covering the Lothians, Stirling
, Fife
, Kinross
and southern Perthshire
. Unfortunately, financial and other difficulties hampered much of John Adair's map making, and not only were very few of his maps engraved during his life-time, but most of his manuscript maps were destroyed by fire in 1811. However, a few of his county maps were engraved and printed by Richard Cooper in the 1730s.
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...
surveyor and mapmaker, noted for the excellence of his maps.
He first came to public notice in 1683, with a prospectus published in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
for a "Scottish Atlas" stating that the Privy Council of Scotland
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
had engaged Adair, a "mathematician and skilfull mechanic", to survey the shires of Scotland. He surveyed the coast of Scotland from 1686, and was made a fellow of 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"...
in 1688. The only part of the coastal survey appeared in 1703.
He was perhaps the first Scottish map-maker actively to use triangulation
Triangulation
In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline, rather than measuring distances to the point directly...
in his work. Twelve manuscript maps survive from his work at this time, covering the Lothians, Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Kinross
Kinross
Kinross is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It was formerly the county town of Kinross-shire.Kinross is a fairly small town, with some attractive buildings...
and southern Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. Unfortunately, financial and other difficulties hampered much of John Adair's map making, and not only were very few of his maps engraved during his life-time, but most of his manuscript maps were destroyed by fire in 1811. However, a few of his county maps were engraved and printed by Richard Cooper in the 1730s.