Professor of Scottish History and Literature, Glasgow
Encyclopedia
The Chair of Scottish History and Literature at the University of Glasgow
was founded in 1913, endowed by a grant from the receipts of the 1911 Scottish Exhibition
held in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park
, as well as donations from the Merchants House of Glasgow and other donors. The Chair has been held by a number of prominent historians of Scotland, including two Historiographers Royal
. Although the Chair is now based within the Department of History, it retains its original title.
, appointed in 1913, a graduate of King's College, Aberdeen
(now the University of Aberdeen
) and tutor at New College, Oxford
. In this role he sought to engage more closely with students than was traditional for academics at the time, inviting students to tea at his home. From 1915-1918 during the First World War, Rait worked at the War Trade Intelligence Department in London, and was awarded a CBE
in 1918. In 1919, he was appointed Historiographer Royal
of Scotland, a member of the Royal Household in Scotland, also serving for a time as Dean of the Faculty of Arts in the University. He became a prominent figure in the intellectual and cultural life of the city, frequently contributing letters and articles to the Glasgow Herald
, often anonymously. Rait's research generally maintained a Scottish focus, with particular reference to the politics of pre-Union Scotland and its relationship with England. He published History of Scotland in 1914, The Parliaments of Scotland in 1924, Critical Moments in British History in 1925 and King James's Secret in 1927. One of his most noted works, Thoughts on the Union between England and Scotland (1920), was written with leading constitutional
theorist A. V. Dicey
, former Vinerian Professor of English Law
at the University of Oxford
.
In 1929, Rait was appointed Principal of the University
. He remained in post as Professor for a year, publishing a History of the Union Bank of Scotland in 1930, but resigned later that year, succeeded by John Duncan Mackie
, previously Professor of Modern History at Bedford College (predecessor institution of Royal Holloway
), who had initiated the teaching of Scottish History at the University of St Andrews
on being appointed a lecturer there at only twenty-two years old. His publications whilst in the Chair included Andrew Lang and the House of Stuart (1935) and The Earlier Tudors 1485-1558 (1952). As part of the University's Quincentenrary celebrations, he wrote a short history, The University of Glasgow, 1451-1951, published in 1954. He was Dean of Faculties, an honorary post within the University, from 1940 to 1945. He remained in post until his retirement in 1957, when he was appointed Historiographer Royal
. He returned to teaching in 1961 as Emeritus Professor, served again as Dean of Faculties from 1961 to 1964, and published a short History of Scotland in 1964.
The Chair in the meantime was taken up on Mackie's retirement by George Pryde. Pryde had come to Glasgow as an assistant in the Scottish History Department in 1927, having studied at St Andrews
(MA 1922, PhD 1926) and Yale
(on a Commonwealth Fund fellowship
) Universities. He served as President of the Historical Association of Scotland (wound up in 1964) and Chairman of Council of the Scottish History Society
, and was an authority on the history of the Scottish burgh
. He died in office.
Pryde was succeeded in the Chair in 1962 by Archie Duncan
, who had previously lectured in History at Queen's University Belfast (1051-1953) and the University of Edinburgh
(1953-1961) and undertaken a Leverhulme Fellowship
(1961-1962). He was editor of the Scottish Historical Review from 1963 to 1970, became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
in 1979, and like his predecessor in the Chair served for a time as President of the Scottish History Society
. Amongst his significant works were Scotland, The Making of the Kingdom (1975) and Regesta Regum Scottorum, v; The Acts of Robert I, 1306-1329 (1988). He was Clerk of Senate (an office with status equivalent to a Vice-Principal
) from 1978 to 1983, retired in 1993 becoming Emeritus Professor, and was Dean of Faculties from 1998 until 2000. He remains active in research and continues contributing articles to scholarly journals.
Duncan retired in 1993 and was succeeded the following year by current professor Edward J. Cowan
, who is also Director of the University's Crichton Campus.
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
was founded in 1913, endowed by a grant from the receipts of the 1911 Scottish Exhibition
Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry
The Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry was the third of 4 international exhibitions held in Glasgow, Scotland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Summary:...
held in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park
Kelvingrove Park
Kelvingrove Park is a public park located on the River Kelvin in the West End of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, containing the world-famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.-History:...
, as well as donations from the Merchants House of Glasgow and other donors. The Chair has been held by a number of prominent historians of Scotland, including two Historiographers Royal
Historiographer Royal
The Historiographer Royal is a member of the Royal household in Scotland. The office was created in 1681, and was in abeyance from 1709 until 1763 when it was revived for Principal William Robertson of Edinburgh University. The post, which now has no formal responsibilities or salary, is held by...
. Although the Chair is now based within the Department of History, it retains its original title.
History
The inaugural holder of the Chair was Robert RaitRobert Rait
Sir Robert Sangster Rait Kt. CBE DL was a Scottish historian, Historiographer Royal and Principal of the University of Glasgow.-Early life:...
, appointed in 1913, a graduate of King's College, Aberdeen
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and an integral part of the University of Aberdeen...
(now the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
) and tutor at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
. In this role he sought to engage more closely with students than was traditional for academics at the time, inviting students to tea at his home. From 1915-1918 during the First World War, Rait worked at the War Trade Intelligence Department in London, and was awarded a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1918. In 1919, he was appointed Historiographer Royal
Historiographer Royal
The Historiographer Royal is a member of the Royal household in Scotland. The office was created in 1681, and was in abeyance from 1709 until 1763 when it was revived for Principal William Robertson of Edinburgh University. The post, which now has no formal responsibilities or salary, is held by...
of Scotland, a member of the Royal Household in Scotland, also serving for a time as Dean of the Faculty of Arts in the University. He became a prominent figure in the intellectual and cultural life of the city, frequently contributing letters and articles to the Glasgow Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
, often anonymously. Rait's research generally maintained a Scottish focus, with particular reference to the politics of pre-Union Scotland and its relationship with England. He published History of Scotland in 1914, The Parliaments of Scotland in 1924, Critical Moments in British History in 1925 and King James's Secret in 1927. One of his most noted works, Thoughts on the Union between England and Scotland (1920), was written with leading constitutional
Constitutional law
Constitutional law is the body of law which defines the relationship of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary....
theorist A. V. Dicey
A. V. Dicey
- References :...
, former Vinerian Professor of English Law
Vinerian Professor of English Law
The Vinerian Professorship of English Law, formerly Vinerian Professorship of Common Law, was established by Charles Viner who by his will, dated 29 December 1755, left about £12,000 to the Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford, to establish a Professorship of the Common Law...
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...
.
In 1929, Rait was appointed Principal of the University
Principal of the University of Glasgow
The Principal of the University of Glasgow is the working head of the University, acting as its chief executive. He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the University as well as its strategic planning and administration. The Principal is appointed by the University Court and is...
. He remained in post as Professor for a year, publishing a History of the Union Bank of Scotland in 1930, but resigned later that year, succeeded by John Duncan Mackie
J. D. Mackie
John Duncan Mackie CBE MC Hon. LLD was a distinguished Scottish historian who wrote a one-volume history of Scotland as well as several works on early modern Scotland....
, previously Professor of Modern History at Bedford College (predecessor institution of Royal Holloway
Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London is a constituent college of the University of London. The college has three faculties, 18 academic departments, and about 8,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 130 different countries...
), who had initiated the teaching of Scottish History at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
on being appointed a lecturer there at only twenty-two years old. His publications whilst in the Chair included Andrew Lang and the House of Stuart (1935) and The Earlier Tudors 1485-1558 (1952). As part of the University's Quincentenrary celebrations, he wrote a short history, The University of Glasgow, 1451-1951, published in 1954. He was Dean of Faculties, an honorary post within the University, from 1940 to 1945. He remained in post until his retirement in 1957, when he was appointed Historiographer Royal
Historiographer Royal
The Historiographer Royal is a member of the Royal household in Scotland. The office was created in 1681, and was in abeyance from 1709 until 1763 when it was revived for Principal William Robertson of Edinburgh University. The post, which now has no formal responsibilities or salary, is held by...
. He returned to teaching in 1961 as Emeritus Professor, served again as Dean of Faculties from 1961 to 1964, and published a short History of Scotland in 1964.
The Chair in the meantime was taken up on Mackie's retirement by George Pryde. Pryde had come to Glasgow as an assistant in the Scottish History Department in 1927, having studied at St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
(MA 1922, PhD 1926) and Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
(on a Commonwealth Fund fellowship
Harkness Fellowship
The Harkness Fellowships are a programme run by the Commonwealth Fund of New York City. They were established to reciprocate the Rhodes Scholarships and enable Fellows from several countries to spend time studying in the United States...
) Universities. He served as President of the Historical Association of Scotland (wound up in 1964) and Chairman of Council of the Scottish History Society
Scottish History Society
The Scottish History Society, also referred to as the Scottish Historical Society, was founded in 1886, as part of the late 19th-century revival in interest in Scottish national identity...
, and was an authority on the history of the Scottish burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
. He died in office.
Pryde was succeeded in the Chair in 1962 by Archie Duncan
Archie Duncan
Archibald Alexander McBeth Duncan, FBA, FRHistS, FRSE is a Scottish historian.From 1962 to 1993 he was Professor of Scottish History and Literature at the University of Glasgow. On giving up his professorship, he became Clerk of Senate and Dean of Faculties, retiring from the University in 2000...
, who had previously lectured in History at Queen's University Belfast (1051-1953) and the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
(1953-1961) and undertaken a Leverhulme Fellowship
Leverhulme Trust
The Leverhulme Trust was established in 1925 under the will of the First Viscount Leverhulme, William Hesketh Lever, with the instruction that its resources should be used to support "scholarships for the purposes of research and education."...
(1961-1962). He was editor of the Scottish Historical Review from 1963 to 1970, became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
in 1979, and like his predecessor in the Chair served for a time as President of the Scottish History Society
Scottish History Society
The Scottish History Society, also referred to as the Scottish Historical Society, was founded in 1886, as part of the late 19th-century revival in interest in Scottish national identity...
. Amongst his significant works were Scotland, The Making of the Kingdom (1975) and Regesta Regum Scottorum, v; The Acts of Robert I, 1306-1329 (1988). He was Clerk of Senate (an office with status equivalent to a Vice-Principal
Principal of the University of Glasgow
The Principal of the University of Glasgow is the working head of the University, acting as its chief executive. He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the University as well as its strategic planning and administration. The Principal is appointed by the University Court and is...
) from 1978 to 1983, retired in 1993 becoming Emeritus Professor, and was Dean of Faculties from 1998 until 2000. He remains active in research and continues contributing articles to scholarly journals.
Duncan retired in 1993 and was succeeded the following year by current professor Edward J. Cowan
Edward J. Cowan
Edward J. Cowan FRSE is a Scottish historian. He is Director of the University of Glasgow's Dumfries Campus and Professor of Scottish History and Literature...
, who is also Director of the University's Crichton Campus.
List of Professors
- 1913–1930: Sir Robert Sangster RaitRobert RaitSir Robert Sangster Rait Kt. CBE DL was a Scottish historian, Historiographer Royal and Principal of the University of Glasgow.-Early life:...
- 1930–1957: J. D. MackieJ. D. MackieJohn Duncan Mackie CBE MC Hon. LLD was a distinguished Scottish historian who wrote a one-volume history of Scotland as well as several works on early modern Scotland....
- 1957–1961: George Smith Pryde
- 1962–1993: Archibald DuncanArchie DuncanArchibald Alexander McBeth Duncan, FBA, FRHistS, FRSE is a Scottish historian.From 1962 to 1993 he was Professor of Scottish History and Literature at the University of Glasgow. On giving up his professorship, he became Clerk of Senate and Dean of Faculties, retiring from the University in 2000...
- 1994–: Edward J. CowanEdward J. CowanEdward J. Cowan FRSE is a Scottish historian. He is Director of the University of Glasgow's Dumfries Campus and Professor of Scottish History and Literature...