Kitson, Albert Ernest (Sir) (1868 - 1937)

Born in England in 1868 and died in Beaconsfield, England, on 8 March 1937. 

It is not known when he came to Australia but his education was in India and Melbourne, and he entered the Public Service of Victoria in 1886.  He then studied geology at the University of Melbourne and mining and surveying at the School of Mines.  On completing these courses he was transferred to the Geological Survey Office and in 1899 took charge of the topographical and geographical surveys of the coalfields of Gippsland.  He became senior geologist in 1903. 

He was a member of the Mineral Survey Department of Nigeria (1906-11) and Director of the Geological Survey Department of the Gold Coast [Africa] (1913-30); he was responsible for important mineral discoveries in both countries.  He represented the British Government at International Geological Congresses (4 times) and at World Power Conferences (4 times). He was given awards by the Geological Society of London, the Wollaston Fund (1918) and received the Lyell Medal (1927). 

He wrote many papers on geology, water power, geography and natural history; these were published in the journals of the scientific societies to which he belonged. A paper on the lyrebird, which he contributed to Emu (1905), was based on his experience in South Gippsland in 1900 and still ranks as one of the most informative on the subject.

He is honoured in the name Eucalyptus kitsoniana Maiden (1916)