Alexander Bruce, 2nd Earl of Kincardine

Alexander Bruce, 2nd Earl of Kincardine FRS (1629–1681) was a Scottish inventor, politician, judge and freemason, who collaborated with Christiaan Huygens in developing a marine pendulum clock.[1]

Alexander Bruce (1629-1680) (Johannes Mijtens, 1660-1670)

His grandfather, Sir George Bruce had built up a fortune in coal-mining and salt-production, building Culross Palace in Fife in 1597.

In 1659 he married Veronica, a sister of Cornelis van Aerssen van Sommelsdijck and delivered stone or marble of the townhall of Amsterdam.[2] On 20 June 1667 Bruce is listed as a Treasurer of Scotland. In the same year he was an Extraordinary Lord of Session.

Bruce was one those making up the 1660 committee of 12 that led to formation of the Royal Society of London, and he conducted extensive correspondence with fellow freemason Sir Robert Moray, the first President of the Royal Society. These letters are the main source of biographical information on Bruce.[3]

References
  1. Mahoney, Michael S. (1980). "The first marine pendulum emerged from the collaboration of Huygens and the Scot Alexander Bruce during November and December 1662". Christian Huygens: The Measurement of Time and of Longitude at Sea. Princeton University. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  2. Boswell in Holland, 1763-1764, including his correspondence with Belle de Zuylen (ZeÌlide), p. 51.
  3. Youngson, A. J. (1960). "Alexander Bruce, F.R.S., Second Earl of Kincardine (1629-1681)". Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London. The Royal Society. 15: 251–258. doi:10.1098/rsnr.1960.0024. JSTOR 531044.

See also
  • Sir William Bruce, 1st Baronet, of Balcaskie, Alexander's cousin and business partner



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