Alexander Crum Brown

(1838-1922)
Professor of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh

Born in Edinburgh, the brother of John Brown who would become known to the world as author of "Rab and His Friends", Alexander Crum Brown was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh and Mill Hill School, London before proceeding to the Universities of Edinburgh (MA 1858, MD 1861), Heidelbrg and Marburg. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1865 while he was extra-academical lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh (1863-1869). He was appointed Professor of Chemistry in 1869, holding the Chair until his retirement in 1908. At his death a large number of books and journals on chemistry from his own library was presented to the Chemistry Department Library, and part of the remainder of his library came to the University Library.