Hector Hetherington

Professor
Sir Hector Hetherington
GBE DL
Principal of the University of Glasgow
In office
1936–1961
Preceded by Professor Sir Robert Sangster Rait
Succeeded by Sir Charles Wilson
Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Liverpool
In office
1927–1936
Preceded by John George Adami
Succeeded by John Stocks
Personal details
Born 21 July 1888
Cowdenbeath, Fife
Died 15 January 1965 (aged 76)
Spouse(s) Mary Reid
Children Alastair Hetherington
Alma mater University of Glasgow, Merton College, Oxford
Sir Hector Hetherington's grave, Tillicoultry

Professor Sir Hector (James Wright) Hetherington GBE DL (21 July 1888 - 15 January 1965) was a Scottish philosopher, who was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool from 1927 to 1936, and Principal of the University of Glasgow until 1961.

Early life

Hetherington was born in Cowdenbeath, Fife,[1] and educated at Dollar Academy. He studied at the University of Glasgow and at Merton College, Oxford.

Career

He was appointed Lecturer in Moral Philosophy at Glasgow in 1910,[1] and Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Sheffield in 1914, before becoming Professor of Logic and Philosophy at University College Cardiff (now Cardiff University) in 1915. He worked in the Secretariat of the 1919 International Labour Conference of the League of Nations in Washington, D.C.. In 1920, he moved to University College Exeter as Professor of Philosophy and Principal of the College, and returned to Glasgow in 1924 as Professor of Moral Philosophy. In 1927, he became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool,[1] but returned to Glasgow again in 1936, as Principal of the University. He served in this position for twenty-five years, retiring in 1961.[1]

Personal life

Hetherington married Mary Ethel Alison Reid (1886-1966) in 1914, with whom he had two sons. Alastair went on to become editor of The Guardian. He retired in 1961 to Edinburgh. He was a member of the Athenæum, Royal Scottish Automobile and Glasgow Golf Clubs. He was knighted in 1936, and appointed Knight Commander of the British Empire in 1948 and Knight Grand Cross of the British Empire in 1962. He served as a Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Glasgow, and was made a Freeman of the City of Glasgow in 1961.

He is buried in a simple grave with his wife in the cemetery in Tillicoultry, just south-east of the war memorial. His son Alistair is buried beside them.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Biography of Sir Hector Hetherington". University of Glasgow. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
Academic offices
Preceded by
John George Adami		 Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Liverpool
1927–1936 		Succeeded by
John Stocks
Preceded by
Professor Sir Robert Sangster Rait		 Principal and Vice-Chancellor
of the University of Glasgow
1936–1961 		Succeeded by
Sir Charles Wilson