Samuel Laing

Samuel Laing (12 December 1812 – 6 August 1897) was a British railway administrator, politician, and writer on science and religion during the Victorian era.

Early life Samuel Laing was born on 12 December 1812 in Edinburgh. He remained at Cambridge temporarily as a mathematics coach, before being called to the bar in 1837. He was also chairman of the Railway Debenture Trust and the Railway Share Trust.

Science writer In later life, he became well known as an author, his Modern Science and Modern Thought (1885), Problems of the Future (1889) and Human Origins (1892) being widely read, not only by reason of the writer's influential position, experience of affairs and clear style, but also through their popular and at the same time well-informed treatment of the scientific problems of the day. Laing's attitude was generally positive towards new developments in science, and he offered an optimistic vision of progressive modernity. He also wrote on religion. His book A Modern Zoroastrian argued that the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism was more consistent with modern scientific thought than was traditional Christianity. He argued that the "all pervading principle of polarity" that was central Zoroastrian thought has been confirmed by science, and that modern Christianity should abandon its traditional theology to centre on the figure of Jesus as an ideal of humanity.

Personal life Laing married Mary Dickson ( Cowan) (1819–1902). Together, they were the parents of eleven children:

Samuel Laing (1843–1870), who died young. later Greek Ambassador to England with whom she established the Gennadius Library at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA). Francis Kelly Lang (1854–1874) This issue is still in dispute. However birth entries at the General Register Office for her sons Lionel Edward Kennard and Malcolm Alfred Kennard both have Laing as the mother's maiden name. Furthermore, the transcribed parish record entry for her marriage to Edward Kennard on 19 April 1870 at Saint Nicholas church, Brighton gives her name as Mary Eliza Laing, daughter of Samuel Laing.

Laing died on 6 August 1897 at his home in Sydenham, England and was buried in the Brighton Extramural Cemetery.