Clive Cuthbertson, 1863 - 1943

Abstract

By the death of Clive Cuthbertson on 16 November 1943 science has lost a most interesting personality. After a distinguished career in the Indian Civil Service from which he retired in 1896 owing to ill health, he became interested in science. Born on 29 November 1863 Cuthbertson was the youngest of the seven children of William Gilmour Cuthbertson and his wife Jane Agnes. He wrote in his personal memoir that his ancestors and relatives were not distinguished in any way with one possible exception in that to the best of his belief his maternal grandmother, whose maiden name was Priestley, was related to Joseph Priestley. Cuthbertson’s father was a bank manager in China, Burma and South Australia. He took his son with him so that Clive spent most of his childhood in those countries. They returned to London in 1878 when Clive was fifteen years old