Died: 11 January 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland

Edward Ross's father was William Ross (born in Helmsdall, Sutherland about 1832) who was a supervisor with the Inland Revenue. His mother was Ann Ross (born in Dundee about 1841) who was a school teacher. Edward had two older sisters, Marjory (born about 1870) and Hannah (born about 1875).

Edward Ross was six years old when his father died and at this time his mother moved from Maud, Aberdeenshire, to Edinburgh where he continued his schooling. Educated at George Watson's School in Edinburgh, Ross was dux of the school in 1898, matriculating at the University of Edinburgh in October of that year. His undergraduate career was outstanding: he won the Mitchell and Shortt Bursary, the Bruce of Grangehill and Falkland Bursary, and the Vans Dunlop Scholarship in Natural Philosophy. In 1902 he graduated M.A., with First Class Honours in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy.

After graduating Ross went to Cambridge, beginning his studies in October 1904. He was Seventh Wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos of 1904 and in the same year was awarded a Ferguson Scholarship. This is reported in The Scotsman of 5 October 1904:-

The Ferguson Scholarships

The examinations for these scholarships were conducted in the Trustees' Chambers, Glasgow, on 20, 21, 22 September 1904 by Andrew Munro, M.A., Queen's College, Cambridge in mathematics. The mathematics scholarship was divided between Edward Burns Ross, M.A., Edinburgh University, and Peter Fraser, M.A., Aberdeen University.

After a First Class performance in Part II of the Mathematical Tripos in 1906, Ross was appointed as Assistant to Karl Pearson at University College, London in October 1906. In the following year he accepted the post of Professor of Mathematics at the Christian College, Madras, India. He continued working there until 1932 when he was forced to retire due to ill health. He then returned to Edinburgh, living at 41 Liberton Brae, where he was looked after by his sisters for the final 15 years of his life during which time his health continued to deteriorate.

Ross joined the Edinburgh Mathematical Society in 1903 and remained a member throughout his career in India, and his retirement to Edinburgh. While still in Edinburgh he read his paper The contact of a member of a family of curves with the envelope to the Society at its meeting on Friday 13 January 1905. He was elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh on 7 March 1921, his proposers being Sir Edmund T Whittaker, Cargill Gilston Knott, Ellice Martin Horsburgh, David Gibb.

An obituary, written by Edmund Whittaker, appears in the Royal Society of Edinburgh Year Book 1948/1949, page 43. 
We give a version of this obituary at THIS LINK.

His death was reported in The Scotsman:-

Death of Former Madras Professor

1. E T Whittaker, Edward Burns Ross, M.A., Royal Society of Edinburgh Year Book 1948/1949, 43.

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