William Matheson (Gaelic: Uilleam MacMhathain, 25 August 1910 - 30 November 1995) was a Scottish Gaelic scholar, academic, and ordained minister of the Church of Scotland.[1]
William Matheson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 August 1910 Malaclete, North Uist, Harris, Outer Hebrides, Scotland |
| Died | 30 November 1995 |
| Education | Boroughmuir High School Inverness Royal Academy |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Occupation(s) | Gaelic scholar, academic, and ordained minister |
| Relatives | Angus Matheson (brother) |
Early life
editWilliam Matheson was born on 25 August 1910 in Malaclete, North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, the son of Malcolm Matheson, a missionary in the United Free Church and Mary Murray from Lewis, and was brought up in Sollas there.[2][3] His brother was Angus Matheson (1912-1962), who became the inaugural Professor of Celtic at the University of Glasgow until his early death.[2][4]
William was educated at Boroughmuir High School in Edinburgh and transferred to Inverness Royal Academy in 1926, followed by University of Edinburgh from 1929 to 1933, where he took a degree in history.[2]
Career
editMatheson worked with Professor W J Watson on the Campbell of Islay manuscripts of Gaelic folktales, and started work on his "magnificent" edition of the poems of John MacCodrum.[2]
Matheson studied at New College, and in 1943 became an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, after which he served as Tobermory's minister from 1945 to 1952.[2]
The University of Edinburgh's Professor of Celtic, Kenneth Hurlstone Jackson asked him to return to his alma mater to run the teaching of Scottish Gaelic there, and he rose in 1972 to Reader in Celtic.[2]
Later life
editMatheson suffered from Parkinson's disease in his later years, and died in Edinburgh on 30 November 1995.[2]
References
edit- ^ Archives, The National. "The Discovery Service". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "William Matheson". The Herald. 2 December 1995. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
- ^ "Tobar an Dualchais - Biography - Rev. William Matheson". www.tobarandualchais.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ "Angus Matheson". University of Glasgow. Retrieved 2 December 2017.