Alexander Wilson (mathematician)

Alexander Wilson FRSE
Born	1714 St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
Died	16 October 1786 Edinburgh
Nationality	Scottish
Alma mater	St Andrews University
Known for	Wilson effect Wilson Greek
Scientific career
Fields	Astronomy Mathematics Meteorology Type-making
Institutions	Glasgow University
Notes
Member of the Glasgow Literary Society Member of the Edinburgh Philosophical Society Founder Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1783)

Alexander Wilson FRSE (1714 – 16 October 1786) was a Scottish surgeon, type-founder, astronomer, mathematician and meteorologist. He was the first scientist to record the use of kites in meteorological investigations.

His son Patrick Wilson succeeded him as Regius Professor of Practical Astronomy at Glasgow University, in 1784.

Wilson was born in St. Andrews, Fife, the son of Patrick Wilson, the town clerk. Alexander was educated at the University of St. Andrews from where he graduated MA in 1733, at the age of 18.

He was first apprenticed to a physician in St Andrews where he became skilled in constructing mercury thermometers in glass. In 1737 he left for London, to make his fortune and found work as assistant to a French surgeon-apothecary, which included caring for his patients. During this time he was introduced to Lord Isla who like Wilson was interested in astronomy, and Wilson constructed instruments for Isla during 1738.

After visiting a type foundry with a friend in London, he had an idea for making better typefaces. He and his friend John Baine returned to St Andrews in 1739, where they started a type-founding business in 1742.

The company moved to Camlachie, near Glasgow in 1744. In 1748 he was appointed type-founder to Glasgow University. In the following year the partnership with Baine was dissolved. Later his sons became partners. He supplied types to the Foulis press making possible their beautiful and artistic publications. Among modern typefaces, Fontana, Scotch Roman, and Wilson Greek are based on types cut by Alexander Wilson.