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Dawson, Sir John William

(Encyclopedia)Dawson, Sir John William, 1820–99, Canadian geologist and educator, b. Pictou, N.S., studied at the Univ. of Edinburgh. After serving (1850–55) as superintendent of education in Nova Scotia, he wa...

Nicol prism

(Encyclopedia)Nicol prism nĭkˈəl [key], optical device invented (1828) by William Nicol of Edinburgh. It consists essentially of a crystal of calcite, or Iceland spar, that is cut at an angle into two equal piec...

Windsor, British royal house

(Encyclopedia)Windsor wĭnˈzər [key], name of the royal house of Great Britain. The name Wettin, family name of Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, consort of Queen Victoria, as well as Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the name of th...

Witherspoon, John

(Encyclopedia)Witherspoon, John, 1723–94, Scottish-American Presbyterian clergyman, political leader in the American Revolution, and signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. Haddingtonshire (now East Lothian...

Tait, Archibald Campbell

(Encyclopedia)Tait, Archibald Campbell, 1811–82, British churchman, archbishop of Canterbury, b. Edinburgh. He grew up a Presbyterian, but he early decided to enter the ministry of the Church of England. In 1834 ...

Maitland, William

(Encyclopedia)Maitland, William (Maitland of Lethington), 1528?–1573, Scottish statesman. In 1559 he deserted the regent Mary of Guise and joined the revolt of the Protestant nobles. When Mary Queen of Scots retu...

Murray, Thomas Randolph, 1st earl of

(Encyclopedia)Murray or Moray, Thomas Randolph, 1st earl of both: mûrˈē [key], d. 1332, Scottish nobleman; nephew of Robert I. He joined Robert's revolt against Edward I of England in 1306 but was captured at th...

Henderson, Alexander

(Encyclopedia)Henderson, Alexander, 1583–1646, Scottish churchman often regarded as the greatest figure in the Church of Scotland after John Knox. Henderson became a leading opponent of prelacy and of English dom...

Deaton, Angus Stewart

(Encyclopedia)Deaton, Angus Stewart, 1945–, British-American economist, b. Edinburgh, Scotland, Ph.D Cambridge, 1974. He was a professor of econometrics at the Univ. of Bristol, England, from 1976 to 1983. In 198...

Royal Greenwich Observatory

(Encyclopedia)Royal Greenwich Observatory, astronomical observatory established in 1675 by Charles II of England at Greenwich and known as the Royal Observatory. It moved during 1948–57 to Herstmonceux Castle, Su...