List of University of Glasgow people

The University of Glasgow overlooking the River Kelvin and Kelvingrove Park

The following List of Alumni, Alumnae and Faculty of the University of Glasgow provides a selection of the well-known people who have studied or taught at the University of Glasgow since its inception in 1451. Historical lists of Chancellors, Rectors and Principals of the University are contained in those offices' respective articles.

Nobel Laureates

Frederick Soddy

William Young Sellar

Sydney MacEwan

William Elphinstone

Cosmo Lang

David Livingstone

Adam Smith

Thomas Campbell

Lord Jeffrey

Alan Watson

Liam Fox

Andrew Bonar Law

Donald Dewar

Henry Campbell Bannerman

Charles Kennedy

William Hunter

Lord Lister

David Douglas

Lord Kelvin

Joseph Black

• Sir Derek Barton, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Sir James Black, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine
• John Boyd Orr, 1st Baron Boyd-Orr, biologist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize
• Sir William Ramsay, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Frederick Soddy, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Alexander R. Todd, Baron Todd, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Arts

• Hannah Frank, artist and sculptor
• Richard Claverhouse Jebb, classical scholar and politician
• Ian McKay, FRSA, Director, English National Opera
• Alexander Stoddart, Her Majesty's Sculptor in Ordinary for Scotland

History

• Lewis Campbell, classical scholar
• D. B. Campbell, ancient historian
• Sidney Checkland, economic historian
• Sir James Frazer, author of The Golden Bough and regarded as a founder of the field of anthropology
• Gilbert Highet, classicist and literary historian
• Sir Richard Lodge, historian
• Sir William Wilson Hunter, K.C.S.I. (1840–1900), historian- Indologist
• F. Marian McNeill, social historian and author of "The Silver Bough"
• William Young Sellar, classical scholar
• Bernard Wasserstein, historian
• Hew Strachan, historian

Musicians

• Paul Buchanan, Robert Bell and Paul Joseph Moore of The Blue Nile
• Sydney MacEwan, tenor, singer of Scottish and Irish traditional songs.
• Stuart Murdoch, musician and songwriter; principal member of Belle & Sebastian
• Ramesh Srivastava, musician and songwriter; principal member of Voxtrot
• Emeli Sande, R&B, soul and breakbeat singer/song-writer.

Philosophy and Theology

• John Abernethy, Irish Presbyterian leader
• William Menzies Alexander (1858–1929), medical and theological writer
• Alexander Bain, philosopher
• William Barclay, theologian
• James Beaton, Archbishop of Glasgow and St. Andrews, Primate of Scotland
• David Beaton, cardinal and Archbishop of St. Andrews
• Zachary Boyd, theologian
• Semyon Desnitsky, legal scholar, professor of the Moscow University
• William Elphinstone, statesman and bishop, founder of the University of Aberdeen
• William Hugh Clifford Frend, early church historian
• Francis Hutcheson, philosopher
• David Jasper, leader in study of literature and theology
• John Knox, religious reformer and theologian
• Cosmo Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury
• David Livingstone, missionary
• John Macquarrie, leading 20th century theologian and Professor of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary (NY) and Oxford
• William McIntyre, minister and educator
• Andrew Melville, theologian and religious reformer
• George Newlands, theologian
• Thomas Reid, philosopher
• Adam Smith, economist and philosopher
• Dugald Stewart, philosopher
• Archibald Campbell Tait, Archbishop of Canterbury
• Alexander Campbell, co-founder of the Restoration Movement
• George Brodie, CGA, missionary to Russia and Canada, historian, accountant.

Writers and poets

• Lin Anderson, writer
• James Boswell, writer
• William Boyd, writer
• James Bridie (Osborne Henry Mavor), dramatist and founder of the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre
• Christopher Brookmyre, writer
• John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, writer and Governor General of Canada
• Robert Williams Buchanan, poet
• Thomas Campbell, poet
• Archibald Joseph Cronin, writer
• Ann Marie Di Mambro playwright and scriptwriter
• Hal Duncan, writer
• Jane Duncan (Elizabeth Jane Cameron), writer
• Janice Galloway, writer
• Alasdair Gray, writer and artist
• David Gray, poet
• Janice Hally playwright and scriptwriter
• Robert Henryson, poet (probably taught)
• James Herriot, writer
• Philip Hobsbaum, poet and critic
• John Jamieson, lexicographer
• James Kelman, writer
• Walter Kennedy, poet
• Tom Leonard, poet and essayist
• Liz Lochhead, poet and dramatist
• Helen MacInnes, "queen of spy writers"
• Alistair MacLean, writer
• Ken MacLeod, writer
• Alasdair MacMhaighstir Alasdair, Gaelic bard and Jacobite captain
• Aonghas MacNeacail, Gaelic poet
• Laura Marney, writer
• William McIllvanney, writer
• Edwin Morgan, poet
• Tobias Smollett, writer
• John Wilson, writer
• Derick Thomson, Gaelic writer and academic
• Alexander Trocchi, writer
• Hamish Whyte, poet

Business

• Sir Campbell Fraser, former head of Dunlop Rubber, CBI, and Scottish Television
• Tom McKillop, Chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group
• Fred Goodwin, CEO of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group
• James McGill, Scottish-Canadian fur-trader and philanthropist, endowed McGill University

Civil service

• John Cairncross, in 1936, scored double first (domestic & foreign service) in Civil Service exam, alleged to be one of the Cambridge Five
• Sir Bill Jeffrey, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence
• Sir Muir Russell, Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Executive

Law

• Harald Leslie, Lord Birsay, Chairman of the Scottish Land Court
• Iain Bonomy, Lord Bonomy, Senator of the College of Justice and Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
• James Chadwin QC, barrister who represented Peter Sutcliffe (the "Yorkshire Ripper")
• Matthew Clarke, Lord Clarke, Senator of the College of Justice
• Hazel Cosgrove, Lady Cosgrove, first woman judge in Court of Session
• Charles Dickson, Lord Dickson, Lord Advocate and Lord President of the Court of Session
• George Emslie, Lord Emslie, Lord President of the Court of Session
• Henry Erskine, former Lord Advocate
• Thomas Miller, Lord Glenlee, former Lord Advocate and Lord President of the Court of Session, and former Rector of the University
• John Inglis, Lord Glencorse, former Lord Advocate and Lord President of the Court of Session, and former Rector of the University
• Arthur Hamilton, Lord Hamilton, Lord President of the Court of Session
• Brian Gill, Lord Gill, Lord Justice Clerk
• Ian Hamilton, advocate, Scottish Nationalist
• Lord Irvine of Lairg, former Lord Chancellor
• Douglas Jamieson, Lord Jamieson, former Lord Advocate and Senator of the College of Justice
• Lord Jauncey of Tullichettle, Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
• Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey, Senator of the College of Justice and literary critic
• Robin McEwan, Lord McEwan, Senator of the College of Justice
• Alexander Munro MacRobert, former Lord Advocate
• Professor Gerry Maher, Professor of Criminal Law at the University of Edinburgh, former Law Commissioner
• Hugh Matthews, Lord Matthews, Senator of the College of Justice
• Hugh Macmillan, Baron Macmillan, former Lord Advocate and Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
• William Rankine Milligan, Lord Milligan, former Lord Advocate and Senator of the College of Justice
• Ann Paton, Lady Paton, Senator of the College of Justice
• Lord Roger of Earlsferry, Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
• James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount of Stair, 17th century Scottish jurist
• Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde, former Lord Advocate and Lord President of the Court of Session
• Professor Alan Watson, Civil Law scholar (former Douglas Professor of Civil Law)
• Lord Wilson of Langside, former Lord Advocate and Senator of the College of Justice
• John Wheatley, Lord Wheatley, former Lord Advocate and Lord Justice Clerk, established Scottish Legal Aid system
• Norman Wylie, Lord Wylie, former Lord Advocate and Senator of the College of Justice

Media

• John Grierson, film-maker, father of the "documentary film"
• Tom Morton, Journalist and Broadcaster
• Andrew Neil, journalist and broadcaster
• Alan Smart, head of broadcasting in Scottish Parliament
• Gerard Butler, actor (Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, The Phantom of the Opera, 300 )
• Anne MacKenzie, television presenter and news anchorwoman
• Hugh Dan MacLennan, sporting academic and broadcaster
• Shereen Nanjiani, Scottish journalist
• Ian McCaskill, weatherman
• Shantha Roberts, artist and TV Presenter
• Fraser Nelson, editor of The Spectator
• Duncan Hamilton, columnist for The Scotsman
• Andrew Cotter, sports broadcaster

Politics

• Thomas Muir, political reformer
• John Maclean, leading figure of the Red Clydeside era
• James Maxton, leader of the Independent Labour Party
• Gavin Vernon, repatriator of the Stone of Destiny

Conservative Party

• Eric Forth, MP
• Liam Fox, MP
• Tam Galbraith, long-time MP for Glasgow Hillhead whose death in 1982 led to the historic election of Roy Jenkins and formation of the new Social Democratic Party (UK)
• James Gray, MP
• Andrew Bonar Law, Conservative Prime Minister
• Sir Teddy Taylor, MP
• Mark Menzies, MP

Labour Party

• Wendy Alexander, MSP
• Sarah Boyack, MSP
• Des Browne QC, Secretary of State for Defence
• Margaret Curran, MSP
• Donald Dewar, former First Minister of Scotland
• Andrew Faulds, MP
• Sam Galbraith, former Minister (UK Government)
• Jim Gallagher, Head of Justice Department for the Scottish Executive
• Derry Irvine, Baron Irvine of Lairg QC, former Lord Chancellor
• Thomas Johnston, former Secretary of State for Scotland
• Johann Lamont, MSP
• Anne McGuire, MP
• Bridget Prentice, MP
• Gordon Prentice, MP
• William Ross, Baron Ross of Marnock former Secretary of State for Scotland
• John Smith, former Labour party leader and UK Cabinet Minister
• John Wheatley, Lord Wheatley; politician, lawyer and Judge of the Court of Session
• Tony Worthington, MP

Liberal Party/Liberal Democrats

• Elspeth Attwooll, MEP for the Liberal Democrats
• James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce, Regius Professor of Civil Law at Oxford, Liberal politician, British ambassador to the USA in 1907-13
• Sir Menzies Campbell, former leader of the Liberal Democrats
• Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Liberal Party Prime Minister
• Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland
• Charles Kennedy, former leader of the Liberal Democrats
• Vincent Cable, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats 15 October - 18 December 2007.
• John Bannerman, Baron Bannerman of Kildonan
• Sir William Sutherland, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 1922

Scottish National Party

• Aileen Campbell, MSP, youngest MSP in the 2007 - 2011 Session
• Jamie Hepburn, MSP
• Angela Constance, MSP
• Linda Fabiani, MSP Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture.
• Jim Mather, MSP Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism
• Alasdair Morgan, MSP Deputy Presiding Officer
• Annabelle Ewing, former MP
• Fergus Ewing, MSP
• Margaret Ewing, MSP, former MP
• Winnie Ewing, former SNP President, former MP, MSP and MEP
• Ian Hamilton, repatriator of the Stone of Destiny and Queen's Counsel
• John MacCormick, founder of the National Party of Scotland
• Neil MacCormick, MEP
• Alasdair Morgan, MSP, former MP
• Shona Robison, MSP
• Nicola Sturgeon, SNP Deputy Leader, MSP
• Andrew Welsh, MSP, former MP

Scottish Unionist Party

• Walter Elliot, former Scottish Secretary
• Robert Horne, 1st Viscount Horne of Slamannan, Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Albert Russell, Scottish Unionist Party member and MP

Miscellaneous

• Regina Ip, the first woman to be appointed as Secretary for Security of Hong Kong.
• Nasharudin Mat Isa, Member of the Parliament of Malaysia and Deputy President of the opposition PAS.

Sciences

Medical

• Robert Broom, physician
• Ian Donald, pioneer of diagnostic and obstetric medical ultrasound
• Stuart Campbell, obstetrician and gynaecologist
• Ian Hart, neurologist
• John Hunter, surgeon
• William Hunter, anatomist and physician
• R. D. Laing, psychiatrist
• Hugh Larkin, cardiologist physician
• William Boog Leishman, pathologist credited with first successful anti-typhoid inoculation
• Joseph Lister, surgeon
• David Livingstone, "Dr. Livingstone," 19th century medical missionary to Africa (didn't graduate)
• Donald MacAlister, also Principal of Glasgow University, 1907–29
• Gerry McCann, cardiologist
• Sir William McEwan, pioneer of Neurosurgery
• James McCune Smith, first university trained African-American physician; also notable as abolitionist and public intellectual in New York
• Sir Graham Teasdale and Bryan J. Jennett, inventors of the Glasgow Coma Scale

Organic Sciences

• David Douglas, botanist
• Alan Gemmell, Professor of Biology, Keele University 1950-77
• Thomas Graham, chemist
• George William Gray, chemist, pioneer of stable liquid crystals, awarded Kyoto Prize and Leverhulme Medal
• Muriel Robertson FRS, protozoologist and bacteriologist at the Lister Institute
• Alexander Todd, Baron Todd, chemist
• Jokichi Takamine, chemist

Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering

• John H. D. Anderson, natural philosopher and founder of the University of Strathclyde in 1796
• John Logie Baird, inventor of television
• Frank Barnwell, aeronautical engineer and pilot of first powered flight in Scotland in 1909
• Joseph Black, physicist and chemist
• Professor John Brown, Astronomer Royal for Scotland
• A. Catrina Bryce, physicist, electrical engineer
• Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell, astrophysicist
• Leroy (Lee) Cronin, chemist
• Henry Dyer, engineer
• Sam Karunaratne, electrical engineer and leading Sri Lankan academic
• John Kerr, physicist
• Colin Maclaurin, mathematician
• William John Macquorn Rankine, engineer and physicist
• Bill Napier, astronomer and novelist
• Percy Sinclair Pilcher, pioneer of powered flight
• John Scott Russell, naval engineer
• Robert Simson, mathematician
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, mathematical physicist
• James Watt, mathematician and engineer

Social sciences

• Sally Baldwin, social policy researcher
• Sir James Frazer, social anthropologist
• Anton Muscatelli, economist and University Vice-Chancellor
• Alexander Nove, Soviet economic historian
• Ljubo Sirc, economist, author and Slovenian dissident during the Titoist regime

Sports

• Andrew Watson, early Scotland international footballer and first black international player in the history of the game
• James Reid-Kerr, rugby union and cricket international

See also

• University of Glasgow Memorial Gates
• List of Professorships at the University of Glasgow

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