He was the younger brother of the actor Francis Aickin (died 1803) with whom he shared the stage at the Edinburgh Theatre before he gave offence to his public by his protest against the discharge of a fellow-actor.
After joining a company strolling through Ireland, and gaining some experience of the stage, he embarked for Scotland, and presently accepted an engagement to appear at the Edinburgh Theatre.
He was very favourably received, and gradually, from his merit as an actor and his sensible deportment in private life, became the head of the Canongate Company, playing most of the leading parts in tragedy and comedy.
[2] In January 1767 a riot took place in the Edinburgh Theatre because of the discharge by the management of one Stanley, an actor of small merit, in whom, however, a section of the public took extraordinary interest.
[2] James Aickin, who had particularly offended the rioters, left Edinburgh, and, accepting an engagement at Drury Lane, made his first appearance there in December 1767 as Colonel Camply in Kenrick's comedy The Widowed Wife.