The Braikenridge–Maclaurin theorem remains the primary mathematical contribution attributed to William Braikenridge, a Scottish cleric who navigated both the academic rigor of eighteenth-century geometry and the clerical responsibilities of the Anglican Church. His career spanned from Edinburgh classrooms to the professional circles of the Royal Society, reflecting the intersection of intellectual and religious life in the Georgian era.
Early Career and Education
Born in 1700 in Scotland, Braikenridge was the son of John Braikenridge of Glasgow. During the 1720s, he taught mathematics in Edinburgh. He received an Honorary A.M. in 1735 and a D.D. in 1739 from Marischal College. During this period, he served as the vicar of New Church on the Isle of Wight. In 1741, he was incorporated at The Queen's College, Oxford, where he remained until 1745.
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In 1733, Braikenridge published Exercitatio Geometrica de Descriptione Linearum Curvarum. This work introduced the theorem now known as the Braikenridge–Maclaurin theorem. The publication triggered a priority dispute with Colin Maclaurin, who claimed to have taught the theorem for several years prior. While Braikenridge sought to establish his discovery, Maclaurin felt the implication of his own ignorance regarding the theorem was a personal slight.
London Appointments and Statistical Work
Upon moving to London, Braikenridge became the rector of St Michael Bassishaw and held the position of librarian at Sion College from 1745 until his death in 1762. In 1752, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. During his time in London, he shifted his focus toward statistical analysis. In 1753, he published a paper concerning the number of inhabitants within the London Bills of Mortality, which argued that the city's population had peaked a decade earlier. This sparked a controversy involving Richard Forster and George Burrington, who challenged his findings.
Final Years and Legacy
Braikenridge continued his correspondence with the Royal Society, addressing the Earl of Macclesfield in 1755 regarding probabilities of life in London and writing to the Earl of Marchmont in 1759 about previously unexamined solid sections. His professional life concluded in 1762. Following his death, his Sermons on Several Subjects were published, a volume for which the Reverend George Austen, father of Jane Austen, acted as a subscriber. He is buried at St Michael Bassishaw and New Southgate Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1700, Scotland
- Died: 1762, London
- Education: Marischal College
- Professional Membership: Fellow of the Royal Society (1752)
- Employment: Sion College (1745-1762)
- Clerical Position: Rector of St Michael Bassishaw
- Key Theorem: Braikenridge–Maclaurin theorem
Questions readers ask
What was the nature of the dispute between Braikenridge and Colin Maclaurin?
The two mathematicians disputed the priority of the discovery of the Braikenridge–Maclaurin theorem, which Braikenridge published in 1733.
What statistical work did Braikenridge undertake in London?
He studied the London Bills of Mortality to estimate population trends, arguing that the city's population had reached its peak by the early 1740s.
Achievements
- Fellow of the Royal Society — 1752
- Notable work: Braikenridge–Maclaurin theorem
- Held posts at The Queen's College and Sion College