Background
Niven was born at Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, one of five notable mathematician brothers.
Niven was born at Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, one of five notable mathematician brothers.
He graduated first from the University of Aberdeen, then from Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was a Wrangler and was elected a Fellow of his college.
After an early teaching career at Cambridge, he was Director of Studies at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, for thirty years. He spent most of his teaching career as Director of Studies at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, succeeding Thomas Archer Hirst in that position in 1882. He retired in 1903, when he was knighted by being appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
In retirement Niven lived at Eastburn, Sidcup, Kent, where he died in 1917.
Royal Society.