Alexander Bryce (minister)

Alexander Bryce (1713–1786) was a Church of Scotland minister, mathematician, astronomer, scientist and poet who was Chaplain in Ordinary to King George III from 1770 to 1786.

From 1740 he acted as a private tutor in mathematics and astronomy (under patronage of Colin Maclaurin) in the Caithness area for three years where he became locally unpopular for mapping and tabulating shipwrecks on the coast in an attempt to prove a higher than expected number as evidence of "wreckers".

[3] In August 1745 he was ordained as minister of Kirknewton Parish Church under the patronage of James, Earl of Morton.

After a long search, it was found (somewhat damaged) in the attic of a Mr Urquhart, a coppersmith, whose goods had been seized in the 45 rebellion.

In 1776 he helped engineers create Stirling's first piped water supply and was given Freedom of the City as a reward.