Works of Art Collection

Beattie Building

Named after Sir John Caruthers (Jock) Beattie in 1964. Carruthers Beattie attended St John's Boarding School in Workington for seven years, then spent a year at Moray House in Edinburgh before beginning his university education. He took the Preliminary Examinations of the Educational Institute of Scotland, passing English, history, geography, latin, arithmetic, algebra, euclid I II III, mechanics, logic, and natural philosophy. He was an undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh, matriculating in October 1885, specialising in mathematics and physics. He was the Principal and first Vice-Chancellor of UCT from 1918-1937, the warden of College House, (1911-1922), and Professor of Physics at SAC. (1897- 1917). Having worked on the effects of X-rays, ultraviolet light and the rays of uranium on the electrical conductivity of gases as well as applying wireless telegraphy technology during the Anglo-Boer War, Beattie had proven to be an excellent scholar before becoming principal and vice-chancellor. In the movement which began in 1904 to obtain a charter for a University of Cape Town Beattie took a leading part and, when the Acts were adopted in 1916 constituting a University of Cape Town, one of Stellenbosch and one of South Africa, he was appointed a member of the Commission to draw up the statutes for these Universities which were to begin on April 2, 1918. The donation left by Alfred Beit for the establishment of a university in Johannesburg became the catalyst for implementing Rhodes’ dream of seeing a university on the slope of the Cape mountains. After Beattie persuaded the Beit trustees to support the construction of a Cape Town university, building began, despite opposition from people in Johannesburg who wanted a campus there. Beattie became principal in 1917 and Vice- Chancellor in 1918. He was responsible for both the university campus on the mountain and the increase in student numbers, from approximately 600 in 1918 to 2200 in 1938. Beattie was a member of the Edinburgh Mathematical society, the South African Philosophical Society, and president of this society from 1905-1906. He was also elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Source: Origins of Names of Buildings at the University of Cape Town, Mr M. Musemwa (Department of History UCT, 1993).UCT Monday Paper vol. 23.30. Baker, D. 1998. Wireless telegraphy during the anglo-boer war of 1899-
1902. Military History Journal. Vol. 11: 2. UCT Archives. http://www-history.mcs.st- and.ac.uk/Biographies/Beattie.html. Royal Society of Edinburgh yearbook 1947.

5 University Avenue South,Upper Campus, Rondebosch

Upper

-33.959022

18.461123

118

1180

Owned