(1860 - 1948)
Biographies of D'Arcy Thompson never fail to impress upon the reader the sense of his unbounded energy. A genuine polymath, he also had the talent of being able to share his knowledge and zeal with the widest of audiences.
He was born in Edinburgh, the son of a Professor of Greek. He started to study Medicine at Edinburgh University, but changed to Natural Sciences at Cambridge. At the age of 25, he was elected to the Chair of Biology at Dundee's newly established University College.
As one of the Honorary Secretaries for the British Association's Dundee meeting of 1912, he was personally involved in the organising of accommodation for the most important guests. In addition, he wrote to request the London newspaper publishers to send copies North earlier than usual, to arrive in Dundee by breakfast-time, and arranged for trains to stop at local stations, so that visitors lodged around Dundee would not be late for the start of the days' proceedings.
In 1917, he was appointed Professor of Natural History at the University of St. Andrews. Many St. Andreans still remember his arresting figure as he strode through the town, with his wide-brimmed hat and billowing cape. He would lecture with a parrot perched on his shoulder.
In 1937 he received a knighthood. As a demonstration point for his last lecture, delivered when he was 87 years old, he used a live chicken tucked under his arm.