Peter Redford Scott Lang
{{Short description|Scottish mathematician and Regius Professor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
File:The grave of Sir Peter Redford Scott Lang, St Andrews Cathedral graveyard.jpg
Sir Peter Redford Scott Lang VD FRSE (1850–1926) was a Scottish mathematician and Regius Professor at the University of St Andrews. In the 1880s he instituted “Common Dinners” to bring the students together for joint meals (often referred to as “commies”). This had a major impact upon student social life and was thereafter adopted by several Scottish universities. In memory of this the University of St Andrews holds an annual Scott Lang Dinner.{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk/csblog/2015/05/03/scott-lang-dinner-2015/|title=Scott Lang Dinner 2015 {{!}} Computer Science Blog|website=blogs.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-28}}
Life
He was born in Edinburgh on 8 October 1850, the youngest of six children of Barbara Turnbull (née Cochrane) and Robert Laidlaw Lang (b.1808), an advocate’s clerk. They lived at 125 Fountainbridge in the south-west of the city.Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1850–51 He was educated at the Edinburgh Institution (now known as Stewarts Melville College) and then studied mathematics and natural philosophy (physics) at the University of Edinburgh. His university studies were interspersed with training as a life assurance clerk. He graduated MA BSc in 1872 and began assisting in lectures in natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh.{{Cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Scott_Lang.html|title=Scott_Lang biography|website=www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk|access-date=2018-07-28}}
In 1878 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Sir Robert Christison, Peter Guthrie Tait, David Stevenson, and John Hutton Balfour. In 1879 he moved to the University of St Andrews as Professor of Mathematics.{{cite book|title=Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002|date=July 2006|publisher=The Royal Society of Edinburgh|isbn=0-902-198-84-X|url=https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp2.pdf|access-date=2017-03-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304074135/https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp2.pdf|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}} During his time at St Andrews he purchased a house on South Street. He rose to also be Dean of the Faculty of Arts within the University.{{Cite web|url=https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/data/gb227-mslf1110.l2|title=Recollections of Peter Redford Scott Lang on university life, 1860-1919. - Archives Hub|access-date=2018-07-28}}
He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the 1st Fifeshire Royal Garrison Artillery, a volunteer battalion based at the no 7 battery at Anstruther. He had served as a volunteer for at least 20 years, gaining the Victorian Officer’s Decoration (VD) in 1900.{{Cite web|url=http://www.soldiersofthequeen.com/HomeService-LtColPeterRedfordScottLang.html|title=Soldiers of the Queen - Lt. Col. Peter Redford Scott Lang|website=www.soldiersofthequeen.com|access-date=2018-07-28}} He was granted the honorary rank of Colonel on 25 October 1902.{{London Gazette|issue=27487|page=6744|date=24 October 1902}}
He was knighted in 1921 by King George V on the point of his retiral. In 1922 the University of St Andrews awarded him an honorary doctorate (LLD).
He died at home in St Andrews on 5 July 1926. He is buried with his wife and daughter in St Andrews Cathedral Churchyard. The grave lies on a wall to the south of the central tower.
Family
He was married to Alice Mary Dickson (1858-1932) from Colinton. They had one daughter, Edith Mary Valentine Lang (1880-1936).Scotsman (newspaper) obituary: 7 July 1926
References
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Category:Academics from Edinburgh
Category:British mathematicians
Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Category:Academics of the University of St Andrews