Person

Cumming, Alexander Charles (1880 - 1940)

OBE FRSE FIC

Born: 12 August 1880
Carlton, Victora, 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: Award - 1851 Exhibition Science Research Scholarship
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 Themes

1851 Exhibition Scholarship Awards, Australia (1891 - )
1851 Exhibition Science Research Scholarship: 1904

Published resources

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: 22 April 2026

EOAS ID: biogs/P002865b.htm

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