Alexander Bryson Explained

Birth Date:12 October 1816
Birth Place:5 South Bridge, Edinburgh[1]
Death Place:Hawkhill House, Edinburgh
Citizenship:United Kingdom
Nationality:Scottish
Workplaces:Partner, Robert Bryson & Sons, Clock and Watch-Maker, Edinburgh
Alma Mater:University of Edinburgh
Footnotes:Father: Robert Bryson

Alexander Bryson FRSE FGS FRSSA FSAScot FRPSE (12 October 1816 – 7 December 1866) was a Scottish biologist, geologist and horologist who served as president of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts (1860–61) and as president of the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh (1863).[2]

Life

He was born on 12 October 1816 in Edinburgh, the son of Janet Gillespie (1788-1858) and Robert Bryson FRSE (1778-1852), a watchmaker.

He attended the High School in Edinburgh then trained as a watchmaker and entered the family business, then renamed Robert Bryson & Son.[3]

With his first wife, Elizabeth Waterstone Gillespie (possibly a cousin) he had two children who died in infancy, and a daughter and son (William Alexander Bryson) and died 10 April 1855 aged 44.

His second wife, Catherine McDonald Cuthbertson, also died young in September 1859, aged 32. Together they had a son. With his third wife, Jane Thomson, he had another son, Leonard Horner Bryson, who survived him and remarried.

He was President of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 1860–1861. He was President of the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh in 1863. He was also a member of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Geological Society.

In 1858 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He was President of the Royal Scottish Society of the Arts 1860–61.[4]

He died on 7 December 1866 at Hawkhill House, a country villa between Leith and Edinburgh. He is buried in New Calton Cemetery with his two wives next to his parents.

Works

Notes and References

  1. News: Obituary. The Scotsman.
  2. Book: Waterston . Charles D . Macmillan Shearer . A . Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002: Biographical Index . 27 December 2010 . I . July 2006 . . Edinburgh . 978-0-902198-84-5 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061004113545/http://www.rse.org.uk/fellowship/fells_indexp1.pdf . 4 October 2006 .
  3. Web site: Archived copy . 6 June 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150919152306/https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf . 19 September 2015 . dead .
  4. Web site: RSSA: History: Past Presidents. Rssa.org.uk.