Lee, John, 1779-1859 (Principal of the University of Edinburgh)

Biography

John Lee was born at Torwoodlee Mains, near Stow, in Midlothian, on 22 November 1779. He began studies at the Unievrsity of Edinburgh in 1794 taking full courses in Arts, Medicine and Divinity and graduated with the degree of MD in 1801. His thesis was entitled "De viribus animi in corpus agentibus". After a brief period with the army hospital service, he began to study law. He became licensed as a preacher and was a pastor in London for a brief period before being ordained in 1808 as a Minister in Peebles.

In 1812, Lee was appointed Professor of Church History at St. Mary's College, St. Andrews, and became Rector of the College. In 1820, he was appointed Professor of Moral Philosophy at King's College, Aberdeen. A year later he resigned both Professorships, and after he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity by St. Andrews University he became Minister of Canongate Church in Edinburgh, and then Minister of Lady Yester's Church. In 1827, Lee was made principal clerk of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and in 1832 he unsuccessfully contested the Moderatorship of the Assembly with Dr. Thomas Chalmers. In 1834, he became Minister of the Old Kirk of St. Giles in Edinburgh, and in 1837 he was Principal of the United College at St. Andrews.

Lee was appointed Principal of Edinburgh University in 1840 and by 1843 he held the office along with the Chair of Divinity in succession to Chalmers. He was appointed Moderator of the General Assembly in 1844. This occurred just after the Disruption within the Church in 1843, when Chalmers demitted office to lead the Free Church of Scotland.

Lee's publications include Memorial for the bible societies in Scotland. Remarks on the complaint of His Majesty's printers against the Marquis of Huntly and others (1824), Dr. Lee's refutation of the charges brought against him by the Rev. Dr. Chalmers and others ... (1837), Dr. Lee's additional refutation of the charges brought against him by the Rev. Dr. Chalmers and others (1837), Lectures on the history of the Church of Scotland, from the reformation to the revolution settlement (1860), and The University of Edinburgh from its foundation in 1583 to the year 1839: a historical sketch (1884).

Lee served on the Royal Commission on the Universities and Colleges of Scotland, 1826, the recommendations of which were incorporated in an Act of 1858. Among its provisions was that the office of Principal would be no longer considered an ecclesiastical office attached to the Church of Scotland but would be open lay persons and members of any Church. In 1830, Lee had been appointed as a Chaplain in ordinary to the King, and in 1840 he was Dean of the Chapel Royal in Stirling.

Dr. John Lee died in Edinburgh University on 2 May 1859.

The biographical history was compiled by by Graeme D Eddie using the following material: (1) Lee, Sydney (ed.). Dictionary of national biography. Vol.11. Kennett-Lluelyn. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1909. (2) Rice, D. Talbot (comp.). The university portraits. pp.126-128. Edinburgh: The University Press, 1957. (3) Grant, Alexander. The story of the University of Edinburgh during its first three hundred years. Vol.2. pp.271-274. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1884.

Topics

• University of Edinburgh -- Principal

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