Aspects of the Life and Works of Archibald Geikie
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Formal and Informal Networks of Knowledge and Etheldred Benett's
Journal of Literature and Science Volume 8, No. 1 (2015) ISSN 1754-646X Susan Pickford, “Social Authorship, Networks of Knowledge”: 69-85 “I have no pleasure in collecting for myself alone”:1 Social Authorship, Networks of Knowledge and Etheldred Benett’s Catalogue of the Organic Remains of the County of Wiltshire (1831) Susan Pickford As with many other fields of scientific endeavour, the relationship between literature and geology has proved a fruitful arena for research in recent years. Much of this research has focused on the founding decades of the earth sciences in the early- to mid-nineteenth century, with recent articles by Gowan Dawson and Laurence Talairach-Vielmas joining works such as Noah Heringman’s Romantic Rocks, Aesthetic Geology (2003), Ralph O’Connor’s The Earth on Show: Fossils and the Poetics of Popular Science, 1802-1856 (2007), Virginia Zimmerman’s Excavating Victorians (2008) and Adelene Buckland’s Novel Science: Fiction and the Invention of Nineteenth-Century Geology (2013), to explore the rhetorical and narrative strategies of writings in the early earth sciences. It has long been noted that the most institutionally influential early geologists formed a cohort of eager young men who, having no tangible interests in the economic and practical applications of their chosen field, were in a position to develop a passionately Romantic engagement with nature, espousing an apocalyptic rhetoric of catastrophes past and borrowing epic imagery from Milton and Dante (Buckland 9, 14-15). However, as Buckland further notes, this argument – though persuasive as far as it goes – fails to take into account the broad social range of participants in the construction of early geological knowledge. -
The Wyley History of the Geologists' Association in the 50 Years 1958
THE WYLEY HISTORY OF THE GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION 1958–2008 Leake, Bishop & Howarth ASSOCIATION THE GEOLOGISTS’ OF HISTORY WYLEY THE The Wyley History of the Geologists’ Association in the 50 years 1958–2008 by Bernard Elgey Leake, Arthur Clive Bishop ISBN 978-0900717-71-0 and Richard John Howarth 9 780900 717710 GAHistory_cover_A5red.indd 1 19/08/2013 16:12 The Geologists’ Association, founded in 1858, exists to foster the progress and Bernard Elgey Leake was Professor of Geology (now Emeritus) in the diffusion of the science of Geology. It holds lecture meetings in London and, via University of Glasgow and Honorary Keeper of the Geological Collections in the Local Groups, throughout England and Wales. It conducts field meetings and Hunterian Museum (1974–97) and is now an Honorary Research Fellow in the School publishes Proceedings, the GA Magazine, Field Guides and Circulars regularly. For of Earth and Ocean Sciences in Cardiff University. He joined the GA in 1970, was further information apply to: Treasurer from 1997–2009 and is now an Honorary Life Member. He was the last The Executive Secretary, sole editor of the Journal of the Geological Society (1972–4); Treasurer (1981–5; Geologists’ Association, 1989–1996) and President (1986–8) of the Geological Society and President of the Burlington House, Mineralogical Society (1998–2000). He is a petrologist, geochemist, mineralogist, Piccadilly, a life-long mapper of the geology of Connemara, Ireland and a Fellow of the London W1J 0DU Royal Society of Edinburgh. He has held research Fellowships in the Universities of phone: 020 74349298 Liverpool (1955–7), Western Australia (1985) and Canterbury, NZ (1999) and a e-mail: [email protected] lectureship and Readership at the University of Bristol (1957–74). -
So6 NATURE (SEPTEMBER 22, T904
so6 NATURE (SEPTEMBER 22, t904 Is Selenium Radio-active? THE HEART OF SKYE.' lT occurred to me recently that a possible ·method of deciding between the two hypotheses which have been THIS volume of detailed rock-description, raising brought forward to explain radio-activity, namely, that of in its successive chapters questions of profound atomic degradation (Rutherford and Soddy, Ramsay, &c.) interest in philosophic geology, proves that the Geo and that of molecular change (Armstrong and Lowry, Proc. logical Survey of the United Kingdom is confident Roy. Soc., 1903), lay in attempting to realise radio-activity that the scientific spirit should permeate its public in the case of an element well known to undergo molecular work. None of the rocks dealt with possesses at pre change readily, but with an atomic weight small enough sent an economic value; most of the area is untraversed to exclude the probability of an atomic instability such as by roads, and the exposures are not to be sought in is assumed for radium and thorium. Such an element is quarries, but in rain-swept uplands, or high on selenium (at. wt. .79), which suggested itself to me as a desolate mountain-walls. Yet no detail is regarded suitable material to experiment with because, under the as unimportant; the surveyor, for months together, influence of light, it undergoes a remarkable alteration in its electrical resistance and E.M.F. of contact, suggesting leads a life as hard and remote as that of an Alaskatt an allotropic change of an altogether unusual character. pioneer; and the result is a book in which the daily As this change, whatever be its real nature, occurs almost difficulties are concealed, while an array of facts is instantaneously (Bellati and Romanese, A tti R. -
Natural Theology and Natural History in Darwin’S Time: Design
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by ETD - Electronic Theses & Dissertations NATURAL THEOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY IN DARWIN’S TIME: DESIGN, DIRECTION, SUPERINTENEDENCE AND UNIFORMITY IN BRITISH THOUGHT, 1818-1876 By Boyd Barnes Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Vanderbilt University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Religion May, 2008 Nashville, Tennessee Approved: Professor James Hudnut-Beumler Professor Dale A. Johnson Professor Eugene A. TeSelle Professor Richard F. Haglund Professor James P. Byrd William Buckland “The evidences afforded by the sister sciences exhibit indeed the most admirable proofs of design originally exerted at the Creation: but many who admit these proofs still doubt the continued superintendence of that intelligence, maintaining that the system of the Universe is carried on by the force of the laws originally impressed upon matter…. Such an opinion … nowhere meets with a more direct and palpable refutation, than is afforded by the subserviency of the present structure of the earth’s surface to final causes; for that structure is evidently the result of many and violent convulsions subsequent to its original formation. When therefore we perceive that the secondary causes producing these convulsions have operated at successive epochs, not blindly and at random, but with a direction to beneficial ends, we see at once the proofs of an overruling Intelligence continuing to superintend, direct, modify, and control the operation of the agents, which he originally ordained.” – The Very Reverend William Buckland (1784-1856), DD, FRS, Reader in Geology and Canon of Christ Church at the University of Oxford, President of the Geological Society of London, President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Dean of Westminster. -
William Smith Abstracts
William Smith 1769-1839 Acknowledgements This meeting is a part of a number of events that mark the Bicentennial of the first map published by William Smith. We gratefully acknowledge the support of ARUP for making this meeting possible. Sponsor: CONTENTS Inside Cover Sponsors Acknowledgement Event Programme Page 1 Speaker Abstracts Page 37 Poster Abstracts Page 47 Speaker Biographies Page 57 Burlington House Fire Safety Information Page 58 Ground Floor Plan of the Geological Society, Burlington House William Smith Meeting 2015 200 Years of Smith’s Map 23-24 April 2015 PROGRAMME SPEAKER ABSTRACTS William Smith Meeting 23 April 2015 DAY ONE 1 William Smith's (1769-1839) Searches for a Money-earning Career Hugh Torrens Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK email: [email protected] This lecture will concentrate on Smith's, highly complex, early 'career paths'. His first employment was as a land surveyor (1). Then in 1793 he became both, canal surveyor (2), and engineer, (3) to the Somerset Coal Canal (SCC). These had guaranteed him a regular, and known, income. But this suddenly changed, when he was successively dismissed, first as surveyor, then as engineer, in 1799. He now had to find some other means of supporting himself, and the geological revelations, which he knew were so important, that he had uncovered in Somerset. In the mid-1790s, he had done some land drainage and irrigation work (4), for the chairman of the SCC, and immediately after his dismissals, was able to generate an adequate living from such work around Bath, during a period of very high rainfall. -
Mary Anning of Lyme Regis: 19Th Century Pioneer in British Palaeontology
Headwaters Volume 26 Article 14 2009 Mary Anning of Lyme Regis: 19th Century Pioneer in British Palaeontology Larry E. Davis College of St. Benedict / St. John's University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/headwaters Part of the Geology Commons, and the Paleontology Commons Recommended Citation Davis, Larry E. (2009) "Mary Anning of Lyme Regis: 19th Century Pioneer in British Palaeontology," Headwaters: Vol. 26, 96-126. Available at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/headwaters/vol26/iss1/14 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Headwaters by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LARRY E. DAVIS Mary Anning of Lyme Regis 19th Century Pioneer in British Palaeontology Ludwig Leichhardt, a 19th century German explorer noted in a letter, “… we had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the Princess of Palaeontology, Miss Anning. She is a strong, energetic spinster of about 28 years of age, tanned and masculine in expression …” (Aurousseau, 1968). Gideon Mantell, a 19th century British palaeontologist, made a less flattering remark when he wrote in his journal, “… sallied out in quest of Mary An- ning, the geological lioness … we found her in a little dirt shop with hundreds of specimens piled around her in the greatest disorder. She, the presiding Deity, a prim, pedantic vinegar looking female; shred, and rather satirical in her conversation” (Curwin, 1940). Who was Mary Anning, this Princess of Palaeontology and Geological Lioness (Fig. -
References Geological Society, London, Memoirs
Geological Society, London, Memoirs References Geological Society, London, Memoirs 2002; v. 25; p. 297-319 doi:10.1144/GSL.MEM.2002.025.01.23 Email alerting click here to receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article service Permission click here to seek permission to re-use all or part of this article request Subscribe click here to subscribe to Geological Society, London, Memoirs or the Lyell Collection Notes Downloaded by on 3 November 2010 © 2002 Geological Society of London References ABBATE, E., BORTOLOTTI, V. & PASSERINI, P. 1970. Olistostromes and olis- ARCHER, J. B, 1980. Patrick Ganly: geologist. Irish Naturalists' Journal, 20, toliths. Sedimentary Geology, 4, 521-557. 142-148. ADAMS, J. 1995. Mines of the Lake District Fells. Dalesman, Skipton (lst ARTER. G. & FAGIN, S. W. 1993. The Fieetwood Dyke and the Tynwald edn, 1988). fault zone, Block 113/27, East Irish Sea Basin. In: PARKER, J. R. (ed.), AGASSIZ, L. 1840. Etudes sur les Glaciers. Jent & Gassmann, Neuch~tel. Petroleum Geology of Northwest Europe: Proceedings of the 4th Con- AGASSIZ, L. 1840-1841. On glaciers, and the evidence of their once having ference held at the Barbican Centre, London 29 March-1 April 1992. existed in Scotland, Ireland and England. Proceedings of the Geo- Geological Society, London, 2, 835--843. logical Society, 3(2), 327-332. ARTHURTON, R. S. & WADGE A. J. 1981. Geology of the Country Around AKHURST, M. C., BARNES, R. P., CHADWICK, R. A., MILLWARD, D., Penrith: Memoir for 1:50 000 Geological Sheet 24. Institute of Geo- NORTON, M. G., MADDOCK, R. -
Article James Croll – Aman‘Greater Far Than His Work’ Kevin J
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh,1–20, 2021 Article James Croll – aman‘greater far than his work’ Kevin J. EDWARDS1,2* and Mike ROBINSON3 1 Departments of Geography & Environment and Archaeology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Elphinstone Road, Aberdeen AB24 3UF, UK. 2 McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research and Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. 3 Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Lord John Murray House, 15–19 North Port, Perth PH1 5LU, UK. *Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT: Popular and scholarly information concerning the life of James Croll has been accumu- lating slowly since the death in 1890 of the self-taught climate change pioneer. The papers in the current volume offer thorough assessments of topics associated with Croll’s work, but this contribution seeks to provide a personal context for an understanding of James Croll the man, as well as James Croll the scho- lar of sciences and religion. Using archival as well as published sources, emphasis is placed upon selected components of his life and some of the less recognised features of his biography.These include his family history, his many homes, his health, participation in learned societies and attitudes to collegiality, finan- cial problems including the failed efforts to secure a larger pension, and friendship. Life delivered a mix- ture of ‘trials and sorrows’, but it seems clear from the affection and respect accorded him that many looked upon James Croll as a ‘man greater far than his work’. KEY WORDS: Croil–Croyle–Croll, family history, friendship, health, homes, income, learned societies, pension. -
Archibald Geikie (1835–1924): a Pioneer Scottish Geologist, Teacher, and Writer
ROCK STARS Archibald Geikie (1835–1924): A Pioneer Scottish Geologist, Teacher, and Writer Rasoul Sorkhabi, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, USA; [email protected] years later, but there he learned how to write reports. Meanwhile, he read every geology book he could find, including John Playfair’s Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory, Henry de la Beche’s Geological Manual, Charles Lyell’s Principles of Geology, and Hugh Miller’s The Old Red Sandstone. BECOMING A GEOLOGIST In the summer of 1851, while the Great Exhibition in London was attracting so many people, Geikie decided instead to visit the Island of Arran in the Clyde estuary and study its geology, aided by a brief report by Andrew Ramsay of the British Geological Survey. Geikie came back with a report titled “Three weeks in Arran by a young geologist,” published that year in the Edinburgh News. This report impressed Hugh Miller so much that the renowned geologist invited its young author to discuss geology over a cup of tea. Miller became Geikie’s first mentor. In this period, Geikie became acquainted with local scientists and pri- vately studied chemistry, mineralogy, and geology under Scottish naturalists, such as George Wilson, Robert Chambers, John Fleming, James Forbes, and Andrew Ramsay—to whom he con- fessed his desire to join the Geological Survey. In 1853, Geikie visited the islands of Skye and Pabba off the coast Figure 1. Archibald Geikie as a young geolo- of Scotland and reported his observations of rich geology, including gist in Edinburgh. (Photo courtesy of the British Geological Survey, probably taken in finds of Liassic fossils. -
Mary Anning: Princess of Palaeontology and Geological Lioness
The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon Volume 84 Issue 1 Article 8 1-6-2012 Mary Anning: Princess of Palaeontology and Geological Lioness Larry E. Davis College of St. Benedict / St. John's University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/compass Part of the Paleontology Commons Recommended Citation Davis, Larry E. (2012) "Mary Anning: Princess of Palaeontology and Geological Lioness," The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon: Vol. 84: Iss. 1, Article 8. Available at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/compass/vol84/iss1/8 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Figure. 1. Portrait of Mary Anning, in oils, probably painted by William Gray in February, 1842, for exhibition at the Royal Academy, but rejected. The portrait includes the fossil cliffs of Lyme Bay in the background. Mary is pointing at an ammonite, with her companion Tray dutifully curled beside the ammonite protecting the find. The portrait eventually became the property of Joseph, Mary‟s brother, and in 1935, was presented to the Geology Department, British Museum, by Mary‟s great-great niece Annette Anning (1876-1938). The portrait is now in the Earth Sciences Library, British Museum of Natural History. A similar portrait in pastels by B.J.M. Donne, hangs in the entry hall of the Geological Society of London. -
Newsletter of the History of Geology Group of the Geological Society
HOGG Newsletter of the History of Geology Group of The Geological Society Number 68 February 2020 Front cover WILLIAM AUGUSTUS EDMOND USSHER (1849‒1920), the centenary of whose death is remembered this year. Born in County Galway, Ireland in 1849, Ussher joined the Geological Survey of Great Britain (now British Geological Survey) in 1868 and spent his whole career (retiring in 1909) as a field and mapping surveyor. He is best known for his work in the south-west of England (Cornwall, Devon, Somerset), particularly his work on the Devonian, Carboniferous and Triassic strata. In 1894, he was awarded the Geological Society’s Murchison Medal. Many Survey maps and memoirs bear his name as does the Ussher Society founded in 1962 as a focus for geological research in south-west England. Originally published under the title Proceedings of the Ussher Society, its journal was renamed Geoscience in South-West England in 1998. Sources Anon. 1920. Obituary of Mr W. A. E. Ussher. Nature, 105, 144. Anon [R. D. Oldham] 1921. Obituary Proceedings of the Geological Society in Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, 77, lxxiii‒lxxiv. British Geological Survey. https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/geologyOfBritain/archives/pioneers/pioneers.cfc?method=search ¤tTab=tab_U Burt, E. 2013. W. A. E. Ussher: an insight into his life and character. Geoscience in South-West England, 13, 165‒171. Dineley, D. L. 1974. W. A. E. Ussher: his work in the south-west. Proceedings of the Ussher Society, 3, 189‒201. House, M. R. 1978. W. A. E. Ussher: his ancestral background. Proceedings of the Ussher Society, 4, 115‒118. -
James Hutton's Reputation Among Geologists in the Late Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
The Geological Society of America Memoir 216 Revising the Revisions: James Hutton’s Reputation among Geologists in the Late Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries A. M. Celâl Şengör* İTÜ Avrasya Yerbilimleri Enstitüsü ve Maden Fakültesi, Jeoloji Bölümü, Ayazağa 34469 İstanbul, Turkey ABSTRACT A recent fad in the historiography of geology is to consider the Scottish polymath James Hutton’s Theory of the Earth the last of the “theories of the earth” genre of publications that had begun developing in the seventeenth century and to regard it as something behind the times already in the late eighteenth century and which was subsequently remembered only because some later geologists, particularly Hutton’s countryman Sir Archibald Geikie, found it convenient to represent it as a precursor of the prevailing opinions of the day. By contrast, the available documentation, pub- lished and unpublished, shows that Hutton’s theory was considered as something completely new by his contemporaries, very different from anything that preceded it, whether they agreed with him or not, and that it was widely discussed both in his own country and abroad—from St. Petersburg through Europe to New York. By the end of the third decade in the nineteenth century, many very respectable geologists began seeing in him “the father of modern geology” even before Sir Archibald was born (in 1835). Before long, even popular books on geology and general encyclopedias began spreading the same conviction. A review of the geological literature of the late eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries shows that Hutton was not only remembered, but his ideas were in fact considered part of the current science and discussed accord- ingly.