Andrew Maitland
MAITLAND, Andrew Gibb, FGS (1864-1951)
Andrew Gibb Maitland was born at Birkby, Yorkshire, England, on November 30, 1864, the son of George Maitland and his wife Margaret Maitland (nee Gibb). He was educated at Huddersfield and then at the Yorkshire College of Science where he studied engineering and geology for five years. His first professional work was a geological survey of coal fields in Yorkshire.
Maitland arrived in Sydney on April 22, 1888 on the ship “Oroya” and in December 1888 was appointed Assistant Government Geologist in Queensland, being immediately given the task of mapping the Mackay District. In 1891 he was seconded to the British Government to undertake a geological and mineralogical survey of New Guinea. He returned to Queensland to assess the artesian water reserves across the State.
On March 20, 1895 Maitland married Alice Maud Brumfitt in Queensland. Then, in 1896, he came to Western Australia as Government Geologist and commenced systematic mapping of the geology of the State.
Maitland was active in many scientific and cultural organisations. He held the positions of President of the Natural History and Science Society of WA, President of the Royal Society of WA, Fellow of the Geological Society of London, Secretary of the Australasian Society for the Advancement of Science, foundation Member of the Mueller Botanic Society. He was awarded the Mueller Medal in 1924 and the Kelvin Medal in 1937. The Royal Society of NSW awarded him its Clarke Medal.
Maitland was a founding member of the WA Institution of Engineers and served on the Council and as Vice President between 1912 to 1917.
Andrew Maitland died on January 27, 1951 at Subiaco, Perth. His wife had predeceased him in 1949 and two sons and two daughters survived him. The Pilbara mineral comprising Thorium and Uranium has been named Maitlandite in his honour, as is the Gibb River, Gibb River Road and the Maitland Ranges.
References:
J. S. Battye (ed), Cyclopedia of Western Australia, vol 1 (Adel, 1912);
See also ADB[[1]];
West Australian, 24.2.1951, p18.
