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University of Edinburgh. Principal

 Organization

Staff Only

History

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

The incumbent is President of the Senatus Academicus and ex-officio, a member of the University Court. They are nominated by the Curators of Patronage and appointed by the University Court. As Vice-Chancellor they confer degrees on behalf of the Chancellor.

Principals of the University of Edinburgh

1586 - Robert Rollock (1555-1599) (previously Regent)
1599 - Henry Charteris (c1565–1628)
1620 - Patrick Sands (c1567-1635)
1622 - Robert Boyd (1578-1627)
1623 - John Adamson (1576–1651?)
1652 - William Colville (d. 1675) (did not take up office)
1653 - Robert Leighton (c1611-1684)
1662 - William Colville (d. 1675)
1675 - Andrew Cant (c1626-1685)
1685 - Alexander Monro (c1648-1698)
1690 - Gilbert Rule (c1629-1701)
1703 - William Carstares (1649-1715)
1716 - William Wishart "primus" (1660-1729)
1730 - William Hamilton (1669-1732)
1732 - James Smith (1680-1736)
1736 - William Wishart "secundus" (c1692-1753)
1754 - John Gowdie (c1682-1762)
1762 - William Robertson (1721-1793)
1793 - George Husband Baird (1761-1840)
1840 - John Lee (1779-1859)
1859 - Sir David Brewster (1781-1868)
1868 - Sir Alexander Grant (1826-1884)
1885 - Sir William Muir (1819-1905)
1903 - Sir William Turner (1832-1916)
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 Cecil Smith (1930- )
1994 - Sir Stewart Ross Sutherland (1934- )
2002 - Sir Timothy Michael Martin O'Shea (1949- )
2018 - Sir Peter William Mathieson (1959- )

Found in 14 Collections and/or Records:

Correspondence: Higher Education, 1962-1964

 File — Box CLX-A-19: Series Coll-490/12; Series Coll-490/13
Identifier: Coll-490/12/9
Scope and Contents Correspondents: Professor George Shepperson; Dr H. Kamuzu Banda; The Hon M. W. K. Chiume; Richard H. Pear; Dr W. D. Lamont; Professor D. B. Horn; Professor Denys Hay; Christopher Fyfe; Betty Whitelaw; Sir Charles Morris; Charles H. Stewart; Sir Christopher Cox; Vaughn DeLong; Tom Creighton; Marjorie S. Belcher; F. P. Dunhill; I. C. M. Maxwell; Roy Prideaux; Frank Untermyer; Andrew Ross; The Principal of Edinburgh University.Topics: Proposed university at Livingstonia; Commission...
Dates: 1962-1964
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers and Correspondence of Professor George Albert Shepperson / File 12: Correspondence relating to Dr Hastings K. Banda

Principal & Deans' Committee, 1947-1954

 File — Box Secretary's box file: Misc 155
Identifier: EUA IN1/ADS/SEC/A/7/183
Scope and Contents

Principal & Deans' Committee

Dates: 1947-1954
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of the University of Edinburgh / Administration and Support Services / University Secretary / File Series 'A' / Miscellaneous

Principal Hugh Robson: Appointment as Principal and Associated Papers, 1972-1977

 File — Box Secretary's box file: Misc 153
Identifier: EUA IN1/ADS/SEC/A/7/181
Scope and Contents

Principal Hugh Robson: Appointment as Principal and Associated Papers

Dates: 1972-1977
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of the University of Edinburgh / Administration and Support Services / University Secretary / File Series 'A' / Miscellaneous

Principal Sir Edward Appleton: General Correspondence, 1948-1954

 File — Box Secretary's box file: Misc 150
Identifier: EUA IN1/ADS/SEC/A/7/178
Scope and Contents

Principal Sir Edward Appleton: General Correspondence

Dates: 1948-1954
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of the University of Edinburgh / Administration and Support Services / University Secretary / File Series 'A' / Miscellaneous

Principal Sir Edward Appleton: Speeches etc., 1955-1965

 File — Box Secretary's box file: Misc 151
Identifier: EUA IN1/ADS/SEC/A/7/179
Scope and Contents

Principal Sir Edward Appleton: Speeches etc.

Dates: 1955-1965
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of the University of Edinburgh / Administration and Support Services / University Secretary / File Series 'A' / Miscellaneous

Principal Sir Edward Appleton: Thanksgiving and Memorial Service, 1965

 File — Box Secretary's box file: Misc 152
Identifier: EUA IN1/ADS/SEC/A/7/180
Scope and Contents

Principal Sir Edward Appleton: Thanksgiving and Memorial Service

Dates: 1965
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of the University of Edinburgh / Administration and Support Services / University Secretary / File Series 'A' / Miscellaneous

Principal Sir Michael Swann: Address to British Medical Association Clinical Meeting; Address to General Council of the University of Edinburgh, 1966-1972

 File — Box Secretary's box file: Misc 154
Identifier: EUA IN1/ADS/SEC/A/7/182
Scope and Contents

Principal Sir Michael Swann: Address to British Medical Association Clinical Meeting; Address to General Council of the University of Edinburgh

Dates: 1966-1972
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of the University of Edinburgh / Administration and Support Services / University Secretary / File Series 'A' / Miscellaneous

Principals of the University: Sir Alfred Ewing, 1916-1935

 File — Box Secretary's box file: Misc 156
Identifier: EUA IN1/ADS/SEC/A/7/184
Scope and Contents

Principals of the University: Sir Alfred Ewing

Dates: 1916-1935
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of the University of Edinburgh / Administration and Support Services / University Secretary / File Series 'A' / Miscellaneous

Principals of the University: Sir Henry Holland, 1929-1947

 File — Box Secretary's box file: Misc 156
Identifier: EUA IN1/ADS/SEC/A/7/186
Scope and Contents

Principals of the University: Sir Henry Holland

Dates: 1929-1947
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of the University of Edinburgh / Administration and Support Services / University Secretary / File Series 'A' / Miscellaneous

Principals of the University: Sir John Fraser, 1944-1950

 File — Box Secretary's box file: Misc 156
Identifier: EUA IN1/ADS/SEC/A/7/185
Scope and Contents

Principals of the University: Sir John Fraser

Dates: 1944-1950
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of the University of Edinburgh / Administration and Support Services / University Secretary / File Series 'A' / Miscellaneous