Edward Fisher  Pittman ( 1849 - 1932)

Pittman was a geologist and administrator. Around 1865 he started working as assistant to J. C. Newbery in the chemical laboratory of the Victorian Geological Survey. After the survey was disbanded in 1869, Pittman turned to mine-surveying and became a licensed surveyor. He left for London in 1873 to study at the Royal School of Mines and gained its associateship (mining and metallurgy) in 1876.

Returning to Australia, Pittman settled in Sydney and worked as a temporary draftsman in the Department of Lands before securing appointment on 20 June 1878 as assistant to C. S. Wilkinson, geological surveyor-in-charge of the Department of Mines. In 1881 he resigned to become registrar and lecturer in mining and geology at the School of Mines and Industries, Sandhurst (Bendigo), Victoria, but by December 1882 was back with Wilkinson as first assistant. From 1883 he was also chief mining surveyor for the colony.

Pittman was appointed government geologist on 21 December 1891 after the death of Wilkinson and on 2 September 1902 Pittman became under secretary of the Department of Mines (and Agriculture until 1906), while continuing as government geologist.