page_title: William Wallace (mathematician)
section_title: Life
hierarchical_section_title: William Wallace (mathematician) / Life
caption_attribution_description: Grave of William Wallace (1768-1843) in Greyfriars cemetery, Edinburgh.
context_page_description: Prof William Wallace FRSE MInstCE FRAS LLD was a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who invented the eidograph.
context_section_description: Wallace was born at Dysart in Fife, the son of Alexander Wallace, a leather manufacturer, and his wife, Janet Simson. He received his school education in Dysart and Kirkcaldy.
  In 1784 his family moved to Edinburgh, where he himself was set to learn the trade of a bookbinder. In 1790 he appears as "William Wallace, bookbinder" living and trading at Cowgatehead, at the east end of the Grassmarket.
  His taste for mathematics had already developed itself, and he made such use of his leisure hours that before the completion of his apprenticeship he had made considerable acquirements in geometry, algebra and astronomy. He was further assisted in his studies by John Robison (1739–1805) and John Playfair, to whom his abilities had become known.
  After various changes of situation, dictated mainly by a desire to gain time for study, he became assistant teacher of mathematics in the Perth Academy in 1794. This post he exchanged in 1803 for a mathematical mastership in the Royal Military College at Great Marlow, in which post he continued after it moved to Sandhurst, with a recommendation by Playfair.
  In 1804 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were John Playfair, Thomas Charles Hope and William Wright.
  In 1819 he was chosen to succeed John Playfair in the chair of mathematics at Edinburgh. Playfair's second chair (in Natural Philosophy) was taken by John Leslie.
  Wallace developed a reputation for being an excellent teacher. Among his students was Mary Somerville. In 1838 he retired from the university due to ill health. In his final years he lived at 6 Lauriston Lane on the south side of Edinburgh.
  He died in Edinburgh and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard. The grave lies on the north-facing retaining wall in the centre of the northern section.
caption: Wallace's grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh, 2012
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