The Chancellor

Return to List of Officers of the University

The Chancellor is the titular head of the University and is elected to the post for life by the General Council, of which they are President. It is the Chancellor's duty to confer degrees on persons found qualified and presented to them by the Senate.

The Chancellor can appoint a Vice-Chancellor to discharge, in the Chancellor's absence, the function of conferring degrees. The office of Vice-Chancellor has usually been, and now is, held by the Principal. Since 1997, however, other senior professors may be appointed Depute Vice-Chancellors to officiate at degree ceremonies.

Jump to a Century: 2000 | 1900 | 1800 | 1700 | 1600 | 1500

2021 - Dame Katherine Grainger
2006 - Sir Kenneth Calman

2000

1996 - Sir William Kerr Fraser
1972 - Sir Alec Cairncross
1947 - John Boyd Orr, Baron Boyd Orr of Brechin
1934 - Sir Daniel Macaulay Stevenson
1930 - Sir Donald MacAlister, 1st Baronet
1908 - Sir Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery and 1st Earl of Midlothian
1904 - Sir William Thomson, Baron Kelvin of Largs

1900

1885 - John Hamilton Dalrymple, 10th Earl of Stair
1879 - Walter Francis Montagu-Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch and 7th Duke of Queensberry
1876 - Sir William Stirling Maxwell, 9th Baronet
1837 - James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose

1800

1781 - James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose
1743 - William Graham, 2nd Duke of Montrose
1714 - James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose

1700

1692 - John Carmichael, 1st Earl of Hyndford
1687 - John Paterson
1684 - Alexander Cairncross
1679 - Arthur Ross
1674 - Alexander Burnet
1671 - Robert Leighton
1664 - Alexander Burnet
1661 - Andrew Fairfoul
1660 - William Cunningham, 8th Earl of Glencairn
1658 - John Thurloe
1642 - James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton
1633 - Patrick Lindsay
1615 - James Law
1603 - John Spottiswoode

1600

1598 - James Beaton
1587 - Walter Stewart
1585 - William Erskine
1581 - Robert Montgomery
1572 - James Boyd, of Trochrig
1571 - John Porterfield
1550 - James Beaton
1523 - Gavin Dunbar
1508 - James Beaton

1500

1483 - Robert Blackadder
1474 - John Laing
1455 - Andrew de Durisdeer
1451 - William Turnbull