The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Findlater, Andrew

FINDLATER, Andrew, English encyclopædist: b. Aberdour, 1810; d. Edinburgh, 1 Jan. 1885. He was educated at the University of Aberdeen, and for a time studied with the view of entering the ministry. In 1853 he entered the publishing house of W. and R. Chambers, Edinburgh, for whom he prepared a revised edition of &lsquo;Information for the People&rsquo; (1857). His success in this work caused him to be selected as editor of &lsquo;Chambers' Encyclopædia,&rsquo; and the character of this work bears throughout the impress of his directing hand. He contributed to the work several important articles. He was employed on the encyclopædia until 1868, and in 1874 he edited a revised edition. He also edited other works of the same firm and was a regular contributor of the Scotsman. He retired in 1877, but remained a consulting editor of the Messrs. Chambers. Aberdeen University conferred on him the degree of LL.D. in 1864.