Person
Cumming, Alexander Charles (1880 - 1940)
OBE FRSE FIC
- Born
- 12 August 1880
Carlton, Victoria, Australia - Died
- 28 September 1940
Llanfair Llenfyllin, Montgomeryshire, Wales - Occupation
- Chemist
Summary
Alexander Cumming was managing director of Messrs. Macfie & Son Ltd, sugar refiners, of Liverpool; Director of United Molasses Co. Ltd; and Chairman of Ramis, Clark & Co. Ltd. He was educated at the University of Melbourne then left for Scotland where he was appointed Assistant to Professor of Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. Cumming went on to organise TNT factories in Leith and Edinburgh during World War I and lecture in technical chemistry at the university from c.1918 to 1920. He also ran a consultancy practice before joining Messrs. Macfie & Son Ltd. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1918.
Details
Chronology
- 1902
- Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Melbourne
- 1902
- Award - Professor Kernot Research Scholarship in Chemistry, University of Melbourne
- 1904 - 1907
- Award - 1851 Exhibition Science Research Scholarship [Chemistry. - The affinity constants of amphoteric electrolytes ; methyl derivatives of ortho- and meta-aminobenzoic acids; on the electro-chemistry oflead; contributions to the study of strong electrolytes ; on the source of the radio-activity of the mineral malacone, a silicate of zirconium. University College, Dundee, University of Breslau and University College, London]
- 1905
- Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Melbourne
- 1908 - 1917
- Career position - Lecturer in Chemistry, Edinburgh University
- 18 Jun 1910
- Life event - Married Blythe Knox, St.Trinian's Parish Church, Aberdeen, Scotland
- 1914 -
- Award - Fellow, Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE)
- 1914 - 1918
- Career position - Manager for Manufacture of TNT, Lothian Chemical Co., later HM Factory, Craigleith, Edinburgh
- 1918
- Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
- 1918 - 1921
- Career position - Lecturer in Technical Chemistry, Edinburgh University
- 1921
- Career position - Consultant, Macfie & Sons Ltd, Sugar Refiner, Liverpool
- 1924 - 1938
- Career position - Managing Director, Macfie & Sons Ltd, Sugar Refiner, Liverpool
Related entries
Published resources
Books
- Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, Record of the science research scholars of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, 1891 - 1960 (London: The Commissioners, 1961), 107 pp. Science Research Scholarship - Entry No.221. Details
Resources
- 'Cumming, Alexander C. (1881-19411231)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1476540. Details
Rosanne Walker; Ken McInnes
Created: 30 June 1997, Last modified: 7 October 2026