Aitchison, John (1789-1875)

Aitchison, John

GENERAL (SCOTLAND)

BORN 25 Apr 1789, Tranent, East Lothian - DIED 12 May 1875, London
GRAVE LOCATION London: Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road, Kensal Green (140/RS (22621))

John Aichitson was the third son of William Aitchison (1753-1839) of Drummore, a distiller and landowner. His mother Jane Mylne (1764-1833) was a daughter of the poet and farmer James Mylne. John joined the army in 1805 when he was sixteen years old during the Napoleontic Wars. He was action during the siege of Copenhagen in 1807 before he was sent to the Peninsula where he fought between 1808 and 1814. He saw action at the battles of Talavera (july 1809), Bussaco (September 1810), Salamanca (July 1812). He travelled in Europe with John Rennie in 1812/1813. After that he saw action during the Battle of Vittoria (June 1813), he participated in the siege of San Sebastián (July 1813), and he fought at the Battle of the Nive (December 1813) and the Battle of Bayonne (April 1814).

In 1830 he was presented at court. He became Colonel of the 3rd Guards and in 1841 he was promoted to Major General. From 1845 to 1851 he served in India. From 1851 to 1870 he was colonel of the 72nd Regiment, Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders and from 1870 of the Scotts Fusilier Guards. In 1857 he married Ellen Elizabeth Mayhew (1826-1896) at Plomesgate, Suffolk. They had a daughter and two sons. In 1860 he became a full general and in 1868 he recieved the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

Both his daughters died in 1871 and at that time he purchased a plot at Kensal Green Cemetery to build a mausoleum. It was built in 1875. He died in that year London in 1875 and was buried in the mausoleum. His widow was buried as well after her death in 1896.

Related persons
• travelled with Rennie, John

Images
The grave of John Aitchison at Kensal Green Cemetery, London. Picture by Androom (02 Aug 2019)	The grave of John Aitchison at Kensal Green Cemetery, London. Picture by Androom (02 Aug 2019)