John Mathieson
John Mathieson (1855, Durness, Sutherland – 14 June 1945, Edinburgh) was a Scottish surveyor, cartographer, explorer and Gaelic scholar. In 1909, Mathieson retired from his post as Division Superintendent of HM Ordnance Survey in order to serve as chief surveyor on the Scottish scientific expedition to Svalbard, led by William Speirs Bruce. In 1920-21 he led the surveying party on Prins Karls Forland, largely completing Bruce's survey.
John Mathieson
John Mathieson (1855-1945) · Public domain
- Born
- 1855
- Died
- 1945
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Occupation
- explorer · cartographer · geographer · historian
- Honours
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
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John Mathieson (1855, Durness, Sutherland – 14 June 1945, Edinburgh) was a Scottish surveyor, cartographer, explorer and Gaelic scholar. In 1909, Mathieson retired from his post as Division Superintendent of HM Ordnance Survey in order to serve as chief surveyor on the Scottish scientific expedition to Svalbard, led by William Speirs Bruce. In 1920-21 he led the surveying party on Prins Karls Forland, largely completing Bruce's survey.
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John Mathieson (1855–1945) was a British cartographer, explorer and geographer, among other activities. The cartographer was a member of Royal Society of Edinburgh. John Mathieson received Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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On 7 March 1921 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, upon the nomination of John Horne, John Flett, Thomas Jehu, Ben Peach, Robert Campbell and Thomas Cuthbert Day. In 1927 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and the Murchison Grant by the Royal Geographical Society.
* • "General Wade and His Military Roads in the Highlands of Scotland", Scottish Geographical Magazine, Volume 40, 1924 * * • "St Kilda", Scottish Geographical Magazine, Volume 44, December 1928 * • "The Story of Antarctic Exploration 1716-1931", 1932 • "The Story of Arctic Voyages and Explorations", 1934 • "The Tragedy of the Scottish Highlands", Scottish Geographical Magazine, Volume 54, 1938 * • "Scottish Ghost-names and other place names: Some of the Difficulties in ascertaining their Meaning", Scottish Geographical Magazine, Volume 60, 1944 *
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John Mathieson is recorded as having received Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Plan and section of earth-house near Durness. Figure 2 from: Mathieson, John (1925). " Earth-House or Galleried Building near Durness, Sutherland ". Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 59: 221-223.
John Mathieson (1855-1945)
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Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1855
John Mathieson born.
1945
John Mathieson died.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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