benjamin neeve peach (1842–1925) Benjamin Neeve Peach (1842–1925)

By John Mendum and Anne Burgess

Much has been written about the Durness Limestone Formation Benjamin Peach, who worked for in northern Scotland. These finds the Geological Survey in Scotland attracted the attention of Sir Roderick between 1862 and 1905. In concert Murchison who paid for the 17 year- with , Peach was old to attend the School instrumental in the mapping and of Mines in London (later Imperial deciphering of the Moine Thrust College), after which on Murchison’s Belt in the NW Highlands and in the reinterpretation of the Southern Uplands. In his obituaries, written by John Horne and Edward Bailey, and the fulsome appreciation by Edward Greenly (1928), little mention is made of his personal life, yet he was married twice and the father of eight children, three of whom died young. This article provides a snapshot of the trials and tribulations of Peach’s private and professional lives; for greater detail see the online version of this issue of The Edinburgh Geologist.

Ben Peach was born at Gorran Haven in Cornwall on 6th September, 1842, the youngest of 8 children to Charles William Peach (1800–1886) and Jemima Mary Mabson (1802/3–1882). Charles Peach was a Revenue Coast Guard and respected naturalist and A young Ben Peach, image probably geologist, notable for his discoveries dating from 1862 when he first of fossil fish and plants, mainly in joined the Geological Survey aged Cornwall, and in 1854 of fossils in 19. BGS image P575813.

19 benjamin neeve peach (1842–1925) recommendation he was appointed to the Geological Survey as an Assistant Geologist in January 1862.

Peach was one of the founding members of the Scottish Office of the Survey, formally created in 1867 with as Director, and in 1868 he was promoted to Geologist. His field maps from the late 1860s and early 1870s show that he was a good accurate mapper with the map face generally neatly annotated, and units clearly delineated and coloured. In Sheep, drawn in pencil with colour contrast, on the obverse side are wash — detail from a larger sketch drawings (mainly pencil) or even in one of Peach’s field notebooks. paintings, whose subjects range from scenic views to animals and people, but also include diagrams, trial merely document the accounting of cross-sections, stratigraphical logs, expenses. and the odd calculation. Similar material fills Peach’s field notebooks Sadly, Peach’s artistic abilities were with the more attractive sketches, not matched by his literary talents. which emphasize the form of the Bailey’s obituary states that ‘He could subject, done in pencil, black ink, scarcely bring himself to write or and watercolour. One landscape read.’ — far too harsh a judgement! drawing (black ink) looking south in However, his written contributions the Loch Eriboll area emphasizes the to memoirs were cursory. For the geological features and demonstrates ‘Southern Uplands’ Memoir (Peach Peach’s intuitive ability to portray and Horne, 1899) Peach drew the geology in three dimensions. most of the abundant diagrams and However, the order, way-up, and maps, but made virtually no written quality of the notebook contents contribution apart from the lengthy are distinctly random. Geological list of fossils in the Appendix. Even notes and information, sensu his literary contributions to the stricto, are relatively rare, dates are NW Highlands Memoir (Peach et not sequential, and several pages al., 1907) were limited. Geikie, in

20 benjamin neeve peach (1842–1925) explaining the delays in producing presumably resident at Gattonside. the final manuscript, noted in the By the late 1870s Peach was the only preface — ‘Some geologists find field geologist still working in the literary labour more irksome and south of Scotland. This rural existence arduous than field-work, and would changed around 1879–80 when he rather survey many square miles and his family moved to 8 Annandale of complicated ground than write Street in Edinburgh, close to his now- a few pages descriptive of them.’ aged parents and sister Jemima at 30 Presumably, it was Peach’s ideas, Haddington Place. influence, and ‘management’ of such mapping, together with his seniority, Coincident with the Survey mapping that justified his first authorship of of the Midland Valley and Southern these two memoirs. Uplands in the 1860s and 1870s was the collection of fossils, both Although a small headquarters office as stratigraphical markers and for had been set up in Edinburgh in populating a reference collection in 1867, the geologists spent most of Edinburgh. Thousands of specimens their time in the field and treated were acquired and their identification their field address as their main became an onerous task. Peach residence. This peripatetic existence became much involved in this was unsettling and certainly created and in 1879 was appointed Acting some problems for those with Palaeontologist. Soon after he started families. When in Edinburgh Peach mapping in the Highland Border was able to stay with his parents, around Callander and Aberfoyle, but but this situation changed when continued to spend considerable time he married Jeanie Bannatyne on palaeontological identification. (born 1846) from Springhill Farm, Douglas in 1871. Note that Peach Following the departure of Archibald had mapped the geology of the Geikie for London and James Geikie Douglas area in 1868. Subsequently, for the University of Edinburgh, Jeanie gave birth to Charles William Peach was effectively Acting Director (1872–1949), Jeanie (1874–1975), for the Scottish Survey for over 2 Jemima Mary (1876–1887) and years (1882–1884) in the absence Christina Mowbray (1879–1883), all of H H Howell. He was promoted at Hassendean Cottage, Bakers Road, to District Surveyor in 1883, the Gattonside, by Melrose. This period post carrying considerably greater coincided with the time Peach was responsibility, but attracting higher mapping in the Borders area and was pay. Meanwhile, at home in

21 benjamin neeve peach (1842–1925)

Annandale Street, Thomas Bannatyne challenging, so much so that several (1880–1881) and Elizabeth Sarah of the geologists suffered from health (1882–1967) were born, but problems. The Survey’s Annual Thomas died when not 4 months Summaries of Progress in the 1880’s old (at Springhill Farm, Douglas). record the problems caused by the In the following years Peach’s bad weather, the high ground, and mother Jemima died (15th February, the complex geology. 1882), followed by his daughter Christina in 1883, and then sadly In February 1886 Peach’s father died by his wife, Jeanie on 4th February, at 30 Haddington Place leaving the 1884. Jeanie’s cause of death is house and estate (£571) entirely stated as haemoptysis, a common to his daughter (and Ben’s sister) symptom of tuberculosis. Peach’s Jemima. The following January his father was also now ailing and his daughter Jemima died, aged 10, sister Jemima was recorded in 1882 at 6 Annandale Street. However, to be ‘in delicate health’. Amidst later that year on 2nd November, these domestic troubles Peach was 1887 Peach married Margaret Anne charged with leading the work on McEwen (1868–1921) at Kirkton the NW Highlands when the Survey in Assynt, where her father was the commenced mapping in Sutherland schoolmaster. Margaret (‘Maggie’) in 1883. This followed Lapworth’s subsequently gave birth to Angus recognition of a major ductile and McEwen (1888–1909) and Benjamin brittle shear zone at Loch Eriboll, Neeve (1891–1950), both at 13 now recognised as part of the Moine Dalrymple Crescent, on the leafier Thrust Belt, across which Lewisian, south side of Edinburgh. Torridonian, Moine and Cambro–Ordovician rocks had been translated westwards for several tens Thomas Bannatyne Jane (Jean) Brown Charles William Peach Jemima Mary Mabson Angus McEwen Christina M Nicolson of kilometres. The work was 1815 - 1892 1823 - 1894 1800 - 1886 1802 - 1882 1822 - 1892 1827 - 1914 arduous and the conditions

Jeanie Bannatyne Benjamin Neeve Peach Margaret Anne McEwen 1846 - 1884 1842 - 1926 1868 - 1921 Peach family tree showing parents and children (for more generations see web Charles William Peach Jeanie Peach Jemima Mary Peach Christina Mowbray Peach Thomas Bannatyne Peach Elizabeth Sarah Peach Angus MacEwen Peach Benjamin Neeve Peach version). 1872 - 1949 1874 - 1975 1876 - 1887 1879 - 1883 1880 - 1881 188 2 - 1967 1888 - 1909 1891 - 1950

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In the later 1880s and the 1890s in the field in the 1890s, his young Peach continued to map significant wife was left to run the household parts of the and in Edinburgh, albeit with domestic the northern Highlands. The field assistance. She was required to look mapping was in addition to his ongoing after her two growing sons, and responsibilities as District Surveyor the extended family that included and Acting Palaeontologist. It had also her stepson Charles William, and became apparent that a full revision of stepdaughters, Jeanie and Elizabeth the Southern Uplands was necessary, Sarah (‘Lizzie’). Peach’s ailing sister taking cognisance of Lapworth’s Jemima, also needed care; she died graptolite zoning and revised in 1899, whilst resident at Findhorn stratigraphy. This field work started in Place. Peach’s eldest son, Charles 1888 and occupied Peach and Horne William graduated from Edinburgh for some 8 years in the autumn, winter University in Medicine in 1895. and early spring, leaving the late spring and summer months free for Highland In 1901 the Survey was reorganised work. Peach was only effectively under J J H Teall following Archibald confined to the office in 1897 to Geikie’s retirement in March of ensure completion of the diagrams and that year. In Scotland, Horne was maps for the resulting memoir (Peach promoted to Assistant Director, whilst and Horne, 1899). Peach continued as District Geologist until his retirement in 1905. Peach Early in 1891 Peach and his family had been a loyal supporter and true moved to 86 Findhorn Place. As friend to Archibald Geikie throughout he still spent a great deal of time his tenure and wrote a heartfelt letter

Thomas Bannatyne Jane (Jean) Brown Charles William Peach Jemima Mary Mabson Angus McEwen Christina M Nicolson 1815 - 1892 1823 - 1894 1800 - 1886 1802 - 1882 1822 - 1892 1827 - 1914

Jeanie Bannatyne Benjamin Neeve Peach Margaret Anne McEwen 1846 - 1884 1842 - 1926 1868 - 1921

Charles William Peach Jeanie Peach Jemima Mary Peach Christina Mowbray Peach Thomas Bannatyne Peach Elizabeth Sarah Peach Angus MacEwen Peach Benjamin Neeve Peach 1872 - 1949 1874 - 1975 1876 - 1887 1879 - 1883 1880 - 1881 188 2 - 1967 1888 - 1909 1891 - 1950

23 benjamin neeve peach (1842–1925) expressing his gratitude immediately and 1917. The Geological Society of prior to his retirement. In practical London had jointly awarded Peach terms Peach had benefited from being and Horne the Murchison Medal a Geologist for 15 years and District in1899, and they were awarded the Surveyor for 18 years, whereas for Wollaston Medal in 1921. many of his colleagues there had been no sensible career structure. Some Peach in a letter to W B Wright dated had remained as Assistant Geologists May 30th, 1913 alluded to his wife, for as long as 21 years with only but when Maggie died of breast limited pension provision. cancer on 20th October, 1921, she was resident in Kingussie and her death Following retirement in 1905 Peach was registered by her son, Ben. Thus, was a regular visitor to the Scottish in the 1920s Peach found himself office in 33 George Square, where he alone in Edinburgh with his family continued to check maps, supply data scattered across parts of the UK and and text for memoirs, and undertake in New Zealand. Together with Horne limited palaeontological work for his main project was writing the text many years. The publication of the and preparing diagrams for a volume NW Highlands Memoir (1907) and describing the . the construction of 3D plaster-cast This work remained unfinished at models illustrating the geology of the their deaths, but the existing material Assynt area (from 1904 onwards) had on Highland areas was collated generated considerable interest both by M Macgregor and published nationally and internationally. Hence, posthumously in 1930, entitled the British Association field meeting ‘Chapters on the Geology of Scotland’. to Assynt in September 1912, led by Peach and Horne, was attended Peach died on 29th January 1926, by a cross-section of the geological with the cause of death listed as establishment of both Great Britain cerebral thrombosis and gout. He and Europe. Peach had assisted with had been ill for some time and was classes at the University of Edinburgh resident with his niece Elizabeth during the latter part of his Survey Hay and her husband William career and continued in retirement. Marshall, at 33 Comiston Drive. He He was awarded an honorary LL.D. left £5115 12s 3d in his will. The in 1903. He served on the council funeral service at the graveside in of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Morningside cemetery on February between 1905–8 and 1911–12, and 1st was attended by his son Ben and acted as Vice President between 1912 his two daughters, several grandsons,

24 benjamin neeve peach (1842–1925) members of the Bannatyne family, Bibliography and by numerous representatives Anderson, A. 1980. Ben Peach’s from the survey and local geological Scotland: Landscape sketches by community. The cemetery, which a Victorian geologist. Institute of dates from 1878, was privately Geological Sciences, 18pp. owned for many years. However, in Greenly, E. 1928. Benjamin Neeve 1992 it was purchased by Edinburgh Peach: a study. Transactions of the Council as its administration, Edinburgh Geological Society, 12, 1–12. records and upkeep had become Oldroyd, D R. 1990. The Highlands problematical, with housing built on Controversy: constructing geological some parts. At its western extremity, knowledge through fieldwork in where Peach’s grave is situated, a nineteenth-century Britain. Chicago small part of the cemetery remains & London: The University of Chicago private, now fenced, gated, and Press. 438 pp. rather overgrown. The concise description on Peach’s rough granite Oldroyd, D R. 2004. Peach, gravestone has lost much of its lead Benjamin Neeve (1842–1926). lettering. His wives and children are Oxford Dictionary of National buried elsewhere. Biography, Oxford University Press, Article 37839. Peach, B N and Horne, J. 1899. The Silurian rocks of Britain, Vol.1 Scotland. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom. Glasgow: HMSO. 749 pp + plates. Peach, B N, Horne, J, Gunn, W, Clough, C T and Hinxman, L W H. 1907. The geological structure of the North-west Highlands of Scotland. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. Glasgow: HMSO. 668 pp+ plates.

John Mendum ([email protected]) Anne Burgess Peach’s gravestone in Morningside ([email protected]) Cemetery.

25 This article originally appeared in The Edinburgh Geologist, Issue 57 (2015), pages 19-25. It is published here by kind permission of Anne Burgess and the estate of John Mendum.

The online version of the article that is mentioned in the text can be found here: http://www.edinburghgeolsoc.org/eg_pdfs/issue57_peach.pdf