Physicus medal of Cargill G. Knott, 1873-74

The item, a bronze medal, has an unmilled and uninscribed edge. On one side the medal features the University arms of the saltire, castle, book and thistle, and around the edge the Latin: SCOT.REG.EDIN.ACAD.JACOB.VI. On the other is inscribed PHYSICUS CARGILL G. KNOTT, with the year 1873-74 framed by laurel branches.

Cargill Gilston Knott, the Scottish physicist, mathematician, and seismologist, was born in Penicuik on 30 June 1856. He was educated at Arbroath High School in Angus, and then he studied at Edinburgh University matriculating there first in 1872.

Between 1872 and 1875 Knott studied courses in Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, Botany, Natural History, Chemistry and Practical Chemistry. He obtained the degree of B.Sc. in 1876 and then the degree of D.Sc. in 1879. His thesis was on researches in contact electricity. He was Tait's assistant in the Natural Philosophy class from 1879 until 1883.

In the 1883 he became Professor of Physics and Engineering at the Imperial University of Japan until 1891. On his return to Edinburgh, Knott was Lecturer (1892-1920) then Reader (1920-1922) in Applied Mathematics at the University until his death.

Cargill Gilston Knott died on 26 October 1922

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance.

Item purchased February 2013. Accession no: E2013.20.

Catalogued by Graeme D. Eddie 25 March 2014

Also within Special Collections, Edinburgh University Library, there is correspondence from Knott and Rev. Osmond Fisher about earthquakes written between 1908 and 1909, at shelfmark Dc.4.101-103 (H-M).