John H. D. Anderson

John Anderson FRS (1726–January 13 1796) was a Scottish natural philosopherand liberal educator at the forefront of the application of science to technology in the industrial revolution, and of the education and advancement of working men and women.

Early life and career

Anderson was born at Rosneath, Argyll and Bute. His father and grandfather were prominent ministers of the church, but after his father's death he was raised in Stirling by an aunt. In 1756 he became professor of oriental languages in the University of Glasgow, where he had finished his education.

A leading scientist

In 1760 Anderson was appointed to the more congenial post of professor of natural philosophy at the University of Glasgow. He began to concentrate on physics. He had a love of experiments, practical mechanics and inventions. He encouraged James Watt in his develoment of steam power. He was acquainted with Benjamin Franklin, and installed the first lightning conductor in Glasgow.

Anderson also wrote the pioneering textbook "Institutes of Physics" published in 1786, which went through five editions in ten years. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and this brought him into contact with many of the leading scientists of the day.

A pioneer of vocational education for working people

His greatest love though was in providing "useful learning" to the working class, especially in the application of science to industry. He did this alongside his University duties, by providing non-academic lectures for artisans during the evenings, to which, unusually for the age, women were also welcome. In these popular lectures he concentrated on experiments and demonstrations, and from his prediliction for setting off explosions and fireworks, he acquired the nickname "Jolly Jack Phosphorus".

Radical politics

Anderson was also known for his radical political views and was a supporter of the French Revolution. In 1791 he invented a new type of six-pound gun, which was presented to the National Convention in Paris as "the gift of Science to Liberty". While in France, neighbouring Germany, fearing the spread of radical politics to its territory, imposed a blockade on French newspapers. Anderson suggested sending pamphlets on the wind to Germany attached to small hydrogen balloons, and this was done, with each balloon bearing an inscription translated as "O’er hills and dales, and lines of hostile troops, I float majestic, bearing the laws of God and Nature to oppressed men, and bidding them with arms their rights maintain."

Founder of a university

Building on the lectures for artisans, he bequeathed his property for the foundation of a school in Glasgow devoted to "useful learning", called Anderson's Institution. As an example of its success it enabled a young millworker, David Livingstone, to become a famous missionary doctor and the foremost explorer of his day. The Institution underwent various name-changes and a number of mergers with other colleges before arriving at its current form as the University of Strathclyde, which honours Anderson in the name of the physics building and the main library, the Andersonian Library.

John Anderson died in Glasgow at the age of 69.

References

* [http://www.electricscotland.com/history/other/anderson_johnFRS.htm Significant Scots: John Anderson FRS] at ElectricScotland.com retrieved 31 October 2007.
*1911