Walter Brown

Quick Info

Born

29 April 1886
Glasgow, Scotland

Died

14 April 1957
Marandellas, near Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe)

---

Summary

Walter Brown graduated from Glasgow University and worked at Hong Kong University. He was interned by the Japanese in World War II and on his release he returned to posts in Scotland.

Biography

Walter Brown's father was Hugh A Brown, a Headmaster in Paisley, Renfrewshire. Walter attended Allan Glen's School, Glasgow, completing his studies there in 1903, the year he first matriculated at Glasgow University. He studied mathematics and physics, graduating with a B.Sc. with Honours in these subjects in 1907. He then remained at Glasgow studying Pure Science and graduated in this topic in 1910.

Brown then spent three years, 1911-1914, as an Assistant Master at Allan Glen's School, Glasgow, the school where he had been educated. In 1914 he left Scotland when he accepted an appointment as a Lecturer in Engineering at Hong Kong University. In 1918 he was appointed as Professor of Pure and Applied Mathematics at Hong Kong University. He was still in this post when World War II began but at this stage Hong Kong was not in danger. However, the Japanese attacked Pearl harbour on 7 December 1941, then on the following day began an attack on Hong Kong. The British forces began to withdraw from Hong Kong on 12 December and six days later the Japanese forces landed. Hong Kong surrendered on Christmas day 1941. Brown was taken prisoner by the Japanese and held in Stanley Camp. After the war ended Hong Kong University reopened but at this stage Brown retired and returned to Scotland where he worked first as a Lecturer in Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, during 1946-47, and then a lecturer in Mathematics at Glasgow University in 1947-48.

Brown joined the Edinburgh Mathematical Society in March 1911. He became an associate member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers in 1920. During his time in Hong Kong he played a major role in many organisations, for example the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society (of which he was President), the Hong Kong English Association, the Hong Kong Sino-British Association, and the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers and Shipbuilders.

Walter Brown was elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh on 5 March 1923, his proposers being Andrew Gray, George A Gibson, John Walter Gregory, James Gordon Gray, Dugald Black McQuistan.

An obituary, written anonymously, appears in the Royal Society of Edinburgh Year Book 1958, pages 14-15.
We give a version of this obituary at THIS LINK.

References (show)

1. Walter Brown, M.A., B.Sc. (Glas.), Royal Society of Edinburgh Year Book 1958, 14-15.

Additional Resources (show)

Other pages about Walter Brown:

1. Obituary: RSE

Honours (show)

Honours awarded to Walter Brown

1. Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Elected 1923

Cross-references (show)

1. Other: EMS Members
2. Other: Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Written by J J O'Connor and E F Robertson
Last Update November 2007