George Lokert (1485-1547)

George Lokert, the date of whose birth is uncertain, was a pupil of John Mair, and like his teacher both studied and taught at the University of Paris, and was a fellow (and subsequently prior) at the Sorbonne.

Despite over twenty years residence in Paris, he elected to return to Scotland in 1521, where he held both an ecclesiastical post and an academic post as Rector of the University of St Andrews. In that position he was responsible for an important overhaul of the examinations system to bring it in line with continental standards, but unlike Mair, it does not seem that he taught, though he published extensively including an enormous work running to 45 folios.

On returning to Paris around 1525, Lokert resumed his fellowship at the Sorbonne, took up an appointment of some kind at the Scots College in Paris, while retaining an ecclesiastical appointment in Scotland. It was a time of great turmoil in which scholarly work could come under suspicion by both Church and Crown. This may explain why he published nothing of consequence during his second stay in Paris. In any event, he had returned to Scotland by 1533, where he became Dean of Glasgow, a post he held until his death.

Lokert made significant contributions to the study of logic as well a giving notable service to both the academy and the church of his day.