Prof. Magnus Maclean

Bro. Magnus Maclean graduated from the University of Glasgow with an MA in 1886 and a DSc in 1895. He became the assistant of Lord Kelvin for many years before he was appointed as Lecturer on Electricity. He was also the first Celtic Lecturer in the University, from 1900-1903, and was later awarded LLD in 1919.

Magnus Maclean was born in 1857 on Skye and it was while helping with the harvest that he received the letter informing him that he had passed first class, with special distinction in mathematics, the entrance exam for Glasgow’s Free Church Training College. He entered the Training College in 1877 and also studied at the University of Glasgow for two years before teaching in a public school in Sutherland.

Maclean re-entered the University of Glasgow in 1881, gaining the Lorimer bursary for mathematics. He was later appointed the Thomson Experimental Scholar in the Physical Laboratory and was the bursar of the London Highland Society. Before graduation from the University Maclean was already teaching his fellow students in the Natural Philosophy classroom and his clear aptitude attracted the attention of Lord Kelvin who chose him for an assistant.

Magnus graduated with honours in Natural Philosophy and Mathematics and continued to work very closely with Lord Kelvin on many important experiments. He made himself very skilled in the use of Kelvin’s electrical measuring instruments.

He gained the degree DSc in 1895 and was honoured with F.R.S.E (proposed by Lord Kelvin among others). He was appointed the Lecturer on Electricity at Glasgow before becoming the Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Royal Technical College in 1899. He held this post for almost 25 years and during his teaching published many volumes on the subject and submitted many papers to the Royal Societies of

Edinburgh and London, the British

Association and the Institute of Electrical Engineers. Upon his appointment to the Technical College, Lord

Kelvin said that he did not believe it would be possible to find anyone better qualified for the position.

As well as his great interest in science and mathematics, Magnus also held onto his roots in the Highlands. He was the first Celtic lecturer in the University of Glasgow and published his lectures in the volumes: ‘The Literature of the Highlands’ and ‘The Literature of the Celts’. He was president of the Gaelic Society and the Glasgow Skye Association.

TheMagnus Maclean Memorial Prizewas founded in 1948 by a gift from the Glasgow Skye Association and is still awarded today, to the most distinguished student in Celtic Civilisation. He retired

from his Chair in the Royal Technical College in 1924 and became an Emeritus professor.

I have never been able to find the lodge of Bro. Maclean so if any brother can help, I’d be delighted to hear. He joined the SRIS in 1891 becoming Celebrant in 1931 and joining High Council the following year. He died aged 80 on the 2nd September 1937.

1801, Brother Henry Fowle, Grand Master, learning that a brother was conferring Royal Arch and Knights Templar degrees under the charter of a lodge. He asked a fellow companion from St. Andrew’s RA Chapter, Bro. Benjamin Russell, to go to the lodge and ’arrest’ him under the authority of the Grand Master. He duly went and allegedly said “I arrest you, Sir, in the name of the GL of Massachusetts.” The brother immediately replied that they were in the Royal Arch and as such he had no such authority. However, as Bro. Russell was Grand King in the Chapter (head), he proceeded to arrest him again in the name of that body! Can you imagine today?

By 1735, lodges had met in Madrid, Paris, Hamburg, The Hague and various other cities in Europe. Continental Masonry seems to have been primarily restricted to the upper echelons of society most affected by the Enlightenment ideas of Britain. Partly due to the aristocratic character, European masons denied any connections with the building trades! Instead they preferred to be linked with military orders or knights and hence we see an influx of additional degrees with very fancy names and even fancier titles.

General Yudenich, who commanded the Northern Russian armies in 1919, issued the only postage stamps that has ever been printed bearing reference to Masonry. Upon each is a square, and the words in the Russian language, “Are You a Mason?”