Abraham Robertson facts for kids

Abraham Robertson (born November 4, 1751 – died December 4, 1826) was a smart Scottish mathematician and astronomer. He was a member of the Royal Society, which is a group of top scientists. From 1797 to 1809, he held a very important job at the University of Oxford, called the Savilian Chair of Geometry. This role meant he was a leading expert in the study of shapes and spaces.

Early Life and Big Dreams

From Humble Beginnings

Abraham Robertson was born in a town called Duns in Scotland. His father, also named Abraham Robertson, was a regular person without a lot of money. Young Abraham went to school in Great Ryle and then back in Duns.

A Journey to Oxford

When he was 24, Abraham moved to London. He hoped to travel far away to the East Indies, but his plan didn't work out. So, he decided to go to Oxford by himself. He tried to earn money by starting an evening school for people who worked with machines, but it wasn't successful. For a while, he helped a local chemist named John Ireland.

Finding a Mentor

Luckily, Abraham met John Smith, who was the Savilian Professor of Geometry at Oxford. Professor Smith saw how smart Abraham was and helped him. With Smith's support, Abraham studied hard at the university. He earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts, in 1779. A few years later, in 1782, he completed his Master of Arts degree.

A Professor and Teacher

Taking the Savilian Chair

In 1784, Abraham Robertson started helping Professor Smith with his teaching. Later, he followed in Smith's footsteps and became the Savilian Professor of Geometry himself. This was a big achievement!

Encouraging Students

People thought his lectures were very clear and easy to understand. He always wanted to help his students learn and do well. For example, in 1804, he printed a special guide to help beginners understand a difficult part of Euclid's geometry. He truly cared about teaching.

Family Life

In 1789, he also became a vicar (a type of priest) in a village called Ravensthorpe. However, he mostly lived in Oxford. Around 1790, he married Miss Bacon from Drayton. Sadly, she passed away a few years after he became a professor, and they did not have any children.

Important Work and Recognition

A Fellow of the Royal Society

In 1795, the Royal Society chose Abraham Robertson as a fellow. This was a great honor! They recognized his important work on conic sections, which are special curves like circles, ellipses, and parabolas.

Key Publications

Robertson wrote several important books and helped with others' work:

• His main book, Sectionum conicarum libri septem (1792), was about conic sections. It also looked at the history of this field of study.
• He did calculations for the Earl of Liverpool's book about Coins of the Realm (1805).
• He helped publish the works of an ancient Greek mathematician named Archimedes.
• He also worked hard to publish the second volume of James Bradley's Greenwich Royal Observatory Astronomical Observations.

Later Contributions

Abraham Robertson also gave advice to the government. In 1801, he spoke to a group of lawmakers about whether to replace London Bridge with a new bridge that had only one arch. He also helped with financial plans for important leaders like Lord Grenville and Spencer Perceval.

Later Life and Legacy

Abraham Robertson passed away on December 4, 1826, at the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford. He was buried in the churchyard of St Peter-in-the-East. He is remembered as a dedicated mathematician and astronomer who helped many students and contributed to important scientific and public works.