Alexander Philip

Alexander Philip
Alexander Philip, FRSE
Born	(1858-05-22)22 May 1858 Portobello
Died	21 January 1932(1932-01-21) (aged 73) Dundee
Nationality	British
Occupation	Solicitor
Years active	1884–1932
Known for	Calendar reform
Relatives	Cecil Reddie, education reformer, cousin Sir Robert William Philip, pioneer against tuberculosis, cousin

Alexander Philip FRSE (22 May 1858 – 21 January 1932) was a Scottish solicitor and campaigner for calendar reform. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, Edinburgh in 1913

The son of Reverend Alexander Philip, minister of Cruden, one of four brothers all of whom were ministers who went out at the Disruption. Rev. Alexander Philip latterly held charge of the Free Church at Dunfermline and Portobello.

Alexander Philip was educated at George Watsons College in Edinburgh and the University where he graduated with MA and LLB. He began his legal training at Webster & Will in Edinburgh, where the junior partner was a son of Charles Will, Provost of Brechin. Following the death of Charles Will, Alexander Philip became and assistant at C&J Will, entering into a partnership with the Provost's other son, James Will in 1887. The firm became known as Will and Philip, then Ferguson Will and Philip; and survives as of 2016 as Ferguson and Will.

During his time in Brechin, he became an important pillar of the community, active in both social and public life. He was clerk to the Brechin district committee; and Menmuir parish council. He was a Justice of the Peace and honorary Sheriff Substitute for the county and in 1899 was appointed to joint secretary of the committee to fund-raise for Brechin Cathedral's restoration. John Honeymann and Keppie drew up plans for the cathedral's restoration and, after the restoration completed in 1902, drew up plans for Alexander Philip's house, The Mary Acre.

Alexander Philip was perhaps best known for his proposals on Calendar Reform, which were first aired in 1906 as the "Proposals for a Simplified Calendar". His suggestions were incorporated into the Calendar Reform Bill, presented by Robert Pearce in 1912.

The main change that Alexander Philip advocated for was the transfer of a day from August to February to provide each quarter with 91 days, 13 weeks and 3 months, so that each quarter would be identical and thus there would be a fixed day each year for New Year. He also argued for the fixing of the date of Easter and spoke at conferences at the Royal Society in Edinburgh, London and Geneva.