Thomas Croxen Archer

Thomas Croxen Archer FRSE FSA FRSSA (28 November 1817 – 19 February 1885) was a British botanist, and from 1860 was Director of the Industrial Museum of Scotland, renamed the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art in 1864, a post he held until his death in 1885 (the museum has since been merged into the National Museum of Scotland).

Early life and education Archer was born in 1817 in Hardingstone in Northamptonshire.

Career From 1842 to 1856, he worked as a customs officer in Liverpool. He studied botany at the medical school in Liverpool and at Queen's College there, and went on to be Professor of Botany at the college.

Archer was Superintendent and then Director of the Industrial Museum of Scotland, from 1860 to 1864.

He then became the first Director of the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art, a post he held from 1864 until his death in 1885.

Personal life

On 27 December 1841, he married Mary Eleanor Salmon (1818-1879) at St. Paul's, Deptford, London. Their daughter Emma Archer married Captain Bruno Bruno (sic).

In 1861, he was living at 46 Gilmore Place, with his wife Mary Eleanor Archer, seven children and two other people.

In 1881, he was living at 5 West Newington Terrace, with two of his children and five other people.

He died on 19 February 1885 and is buried in Grange Cemetery in south Edinburgh. The grave lies on the south-east corner of the main north-west section facing the main central path.