Sketch of Arthur Aikin (1773-1854), English mineralogist. Aiken was born and educated at Warrington, Yorkshire. His early training was aimed toward becoming a minister in the Unitarian Church, but his studies with Priestley excited his interest in chemistry and mineralogy. His first major work was an account of the geology of North Wales and Shropshire, of interest due to the coal and iron ore deposits. Aikin was a founding member of the Geological Society of London, and in later life was secretary of the Royal Society of Arts and treasurer of the Chemical Society.