Thomas Galloway facts for kids
Thomas Galloway (born February 26, 1796 – died November 1, 1851) was a brilliant Scottish mathematician from the 1800s. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a special honor given to top scientists.
Contents
Who Was Thomas Galloway?
Early Life and Education
Thomas Galloway was born in a place called Symington, South Lanarkshire, in Scotland. When he was 16 years old, in 1812, he started studying at the University of Edinburgh. He was very good at mathematics there and showed great talent.
His Amazing Work
In 1823, Thomas Galloway became a mathematics teacher at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. This college helps train future army officers.
Later, in 1833, he took on a new and important job. He became an actuary at the Amicable Life Assurance Office in London. This was the oldest company of its kind in London. He worked there until he passed away in 1851.
Thomas Galloway wrote many articles and papers, though many of them were not signed with his name. One of his most famous papers was about how the solar system moves. It was published in a special science journal called Philosophical Transactions in 1847. He also wrote many parts of the seventh edition of the famous Encyclopædia Britannica. He even wrote scientific articles for other journals like the Edinburgh Review. His article on "Probability" from the Encyclopaedia was so good that it was published as a separate book.
What is an Actuary?
An actuary is a special kind of mathematician. They use math, statistics, and financial theories to study risks. They often work for insurance companies. Their job is to help companies understand how likely certain events are, like how long people might live. This helps companies set fair prices for things like life insurance.
Family Life
Thomas Galloway was married to Margaret Wallace (1809–1884). Margaret was the daughter of another famous mathematician named William Wallace. Thomas Galloway is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery in London. Margaret is buried next to her father in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh.
