Andrew Peebles Aitken

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...

FBSE (1843-1904) was a Scottish agricultural chemist remembered primarily for his research into fertiliser response times. He laid the foundations of modern understanding of increased crop yields through the use of artificial fertilisers.

Life

He was born at 122 Rose St Edinburgh on 30 April 1843, the son of Mary Ann (née Smith) (1819-1890) and John Aitken (1814-1886) a cabinetmaker, the 3rd child of 12. He studied at both the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

and the

University of Heidelberg } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, graduating MA in 1867 and BSc in 1871. He received a doctorate in Chemistry (DSc) in 1873. His career began as assistant to Prof

Alexander Crum Brown Alexander Crum Brown FRSE FRS (26 March 1838 – 28 October 1922) was a Scottish organic chemist. Alexander Crum Brown Road in Edinburgh's King's Buildings complex is named after him. Early life and education Crum Brown was born at 4 Bellev ...

at the

in 1875 he then moved to William Dick's Veterinary College as Professor of Chemistry and Toxicology. This was then based at 8 Clyde Street in the city centre. He also continued to lecture on Agricultural Chemistry at the university. He was elected a Fellow of the

Botanical Society of Edinburgh The Botanical Society of Scotland (BSS) is the national learned society for botanists of Scotland. The Society's aims are to advance knowledge and appreciation of flowering and cryptogamic plants, algae and fungi. The Society's activities includ ...

in 1871. In 1878 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

. His proposers were

, Sir Thomas Richard Fraser,

John Hutton Balfour John Hutton Balfour (15 September 1808 – 11 February 1884) was a Scottish botanist. Balfour became a Professor of Botany, first at the University of Glasgow in 1841, moving to the University of Edinburgh and also becoming the 7th Regius Keepe ...

and

Andrew Douglas Maclagan Sir Andrew Douglas Maclagan PRSE FRCPE FRCSE FCS FRSSA (17 April 1812, in Ayr – 5 April 1900, in Edinburgh) was a Scottish surgeon, toxicologist and scholar of medical jurisprudence. He served as president of 5 learned societies: the Royal ...

. Only from 1884 is he listed as a homeowner (probably indicating his marriage) living at 18 Dublin Street in

Edinburgh's New Town The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It was built in stages between 1767 and around 1850, and retains much of its original neo-classical and Georgian period architecture. Its best known street is Princes Street ...

. He was President of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh from 1895 to 1897. He died at home, 38 Garscube Terrace in the Coltbridge district of Edinburgh on Sunday 17 April 1904. He is buried in

Rosebank Cemetery Rosebank Cemetery is a 19th-century cemetery in Edinburgh. It is located at the junction of Pilrig Street and Broughton Road in the Pilrig area, close to the historical boundary of Leith. The cemetery is protected as a category C listed buildi ...

in north Edinburgh.

Family

He was married to Georgiana Burnett Brown (1855-1922). They had three daughters, Katharine, Helen and Jessie.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aitken, Andrew Peebles 1843 births 1904 deaths Scientists from Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Scottish chemists Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh