Andrew Fyfe (chemist)

Prof Andrew Fyfe FRSE PRSSA PRCSE PRMS (1792–1861) was a Scottish surgeon and chemist.

Following early studies on Fox Talbot's newly created photographic techniques he was one of the first (1839) to work out the theory behind positive rather than negative prints. He had an amateur interest in photography but appears not to have pursued his own theories (later very important in the creation of moving images) and limited his experiments to ferns lying on chemical papers.^[1]

Life

4 Windsor Street, Edinburgh

The burial vault of Andrew Fyfe, New Calton Cemetery, Edinburgh

He was born in Edinburgh on 18 January 1792, the son of Andrew Fyfe and his wife Agnes Ord Williamson.^[2] He graduated M.D. at the University of Edinburgh in 1814, and became fellow of the Edinburgh College of Surgeons in 1818, and president in 1842-3.

He lectured privately on chemistry and pharmacy at Edinburgh for many years, having been assistant to Professor Thomas Charles Hope.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1823, his proposer being Thomas Charles Hope.^[3]

He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1832 for the chair of materia medica at Edinburgh, and again in 1844 for the chair in Chemistry, which was filled by Prof William Gregory. But Fyfe used tactics and instead applied for Gregory's newly vacated post as professor of chemistry in the University of Aberdeen.^[4] He retained this professorship till his death on 31 December 1861 at Edinburgh, but ceased lecturing in the summer of 1860 due to ill-health. His knowledge of inflammable substances was reputed, and he gave evidence in official inquiries on such subjects.

In the 1830s his address appears as 11 Teviot Row in Edinburgh.^[5] The building is now demolished.

In 1840-41 he was elected President of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts.^[6]

He died at home, 4 Windsor Street (a main door and garden duplex flat) in eastern Edinburgh on New Year's Eve 1861/2.^[7] He is buried nearby in a family vault in New Calton Cemetery, with his second wife. The grave lies midway along the northern boundary wheel.

Works

• Elements of Chemistry (1827) 2 vols. (3rd edit. 1833)
• Report on the Comparative Value of Kelp and Barilla
• Analyses on Four Specimens of Kelp
• On the Improvement of Kelp

Family

He was twice married: firstly to Eliza Charles, secondly to Margaret Johnstone.

He had a daughter by his first marriage. His son by the second marriage, was also named Andrew Fyfe, and was a London physician.

A further son, John Fyfe (1891-1917) was also a surgeon, but died young.

References

•  "Fyfe, Andrew". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Fyfe, Andrew". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.