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Chamber and committees

Commemorating the 200th Birthday of William Thomson, Later Lord Kelvin

  • Submitted by: Kenneth Gibson, Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party.
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 June 2024
  • Motion reference: S6M-13799

That the Parliament joins the University of Glasgow in commemorating the 200th anniversary of William Thomson’s birth on 26 June 1824; recognises him as a distinguished physicist, mathematician and engineer who later became 1st Baron Kelvin of Largs, due to his time spent in his property in Netherhall, which he built in the 1870s and where he died in 1907; acknowledges what it sees as the world-changing legacy of Lord Kelvin, including the central role he played in laying the first transatlantic telegraph cables, advancing an understanding of thermodynamics and inventing the mariner’s compass, amongst many innovations; honours his role as a dedicated educator and his long-standing tenure as a Professor at the University of Glasgow, where he inspired and mentored countless students and future scientists; notes that he was just 10 years old upon matriculating to the University of Glasgow, and was the first scientist ever to be appointment to the House of Lords; celebrates the lasting impact of his work, which, it believes, continues to inspire and inform contemporary STEM research and innovation, and encourages MSPs to engage with the University’s exhibitions, talks and events that will take place throughout 2024 exploring his legacy and impact.


Supported by: Clare Adamson, Jeremy Balfour, Miles Briggs, Stephanie Callaghan, Foysol Choudhury, Jackie Dunbar, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Annabelle Ewing, Murdo Fraser, Pam Gosal, Bill Kidd, John Mason, Stuart McMillan, Audrey Nicoll, Ash Regan, Paul Sweeney, Michelle Thomson, David Torrance, Tess White