Patrick Copland FRSE FSA LLD (January 1749 – 10 November 1822) was a Professor of Mathematics (1775-1779) and Natural Philosophy (1779-1817) at Marischal College in Aberdeen.
[1] He was born in January 1749 (many sources erroneously state 1748, calculating using his known age at death) at the manse of Fintray in Aberdeenshire, the son of Rev Samuel Copland, from a family originating in Tough.
[4] In 1780, he began a public campaign to gather funds to build and equip the Castlehill Observatory in Aberdeen, and this was completed in October 1781, including a telescope by Peter Dollond at the recommendation of Nevil Maskelyne the Astronomer Royal.
The observatory had considerable financial input from John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, who was also Chancellor of Marischal College at that time.
[6] In 1803, he purchased Fountainhall House in Aberdeen (now 130 Blenheim Place) from his former mentor, Prof George Skene, and this remained his home until death.