List of Papers Sir A. C. Ramsay FRS 1814-1891 Imperial College Archives * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ( University of London ) SIR ANDREW CROMBIE RAMSAY 1814 1891 ~. I LIST OF PAPERS Compiled by J Pingree * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IMPERIAL COLLEGE ARCHIVES 1 986 ;1 Copyright f Imperial College Archives Artwork by David Rowe and David Jones Imperial College Union Print Unit OUTLINE OF THE LIFE OF SIR ANDREW CROMBIE RAMSAY 1814 Born at Glasgow, 31 January, third child of William Ramsay, a manufacturing chemist, and his wife Elizabeth Crombie. 1827 Death of his father. Became clerk in a cotton-grower's office. 1840 British Association meeting at Glasgow: ACR did major part of work on a map and model of the Isle of Arran. 1841 Published book on Isle of Arran; visited London at the invitation of Sir Roderick Murchison: appointed Assistant Geologist on the Geological Survey. 1845 Appointed as Local Director. 1848-51 Professor of Geology, University College, London. 1849 Election as Fellow of the Royal Society. 1851-76 Professor of Geology, Royal School of Mines (affiliated to the Geological Survey). 1852 Marriage to Louisa Wi1liams, 20 July. 1858 Death of ACR's mother. 1862-4 President of the Geological Society. 1867-81 Director for England and Wales, Geological Survey. 1871 Received Wollaston medal of the Geological Society. 1871 Awarded Royal medal of the Royal Society. 1881 Knighted. 1891 Death on 9th December. vi I N T ROD U C T ION The papers of Professor Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay were given to Imperial College by his daughters in 1934. They remained in the Geology Department until their transfer to the archives in 1970. For one reason or another detailed listing of the papers has not been completed and it is now only possible to produce this handlist. The collection has however been consulted by a number of distinguished scholars; one of the most recent is Dr James Secord (1) a member of the Imperial College staff. Material from the collection has been displayed at a number of exhibitions, including the Huxley Building centenary in 1972, the Lyell Centenary Symposium in 1975, with a display on 'A C Ramsay and his circle'; and for small exhibitions on the Geology Department, the sesqui­ centenary of the Geological Survey, and other events. The archivist would like to express her gratitude to Professor Philip F Rehbock who sorted and foliated the correspondence with Edward Forbes (2). Sir Andrew was a very endearing character with wide interests; this is reflected in his diaries and correspondence, which repay detailed study. The reference number for the papers is KGA/RAMSAY. There are 19 boxes. (1) James A Se cord The Geological Survey as a research school. In HISTORY OF SCIENCE, vol. 24, part 3, September 1986, pp.223-275. Controversy in Victorian Geology: the Cambrian-Silurian dispute. Prince ton University Press, 1986. (2) Philip F Rehbock Edward Forbes. An annotated list of published and unpublished writings. In JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NATURAL HISTORY, vol. 9, pp.7l-2l8. J Pingree December 1986 v CON TEN T S Frontispiece: drawing of Andrew Crombie Ramsay. Enlargement of 4/5/2 Introduction v Outline of the life of Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay vi 1 Notebooks and diaries 1 2 Lecture notes 8 3 Miscellaneous notes. printed papers etc. 8 Examination papers 9 4 Drawings 10 5 Miscellaneous printed papers 11 6 Family correspondence 11 7 Sir Henry de la Beche 12 8 General correspondence 13 9 Other related material 28 iii I 1 NOTEBOOKS AND DlARI~S Earlier diaries are ' generallY in much greater detail than the later. Notes include geological observations and drawings, sketches of land­ scapes, etc, details of expenses, such as transport and accommodation, both personal and official; occasional verses, etc. Earlier diaries also include inserted copies of correspondence, and later diaries have a number of notices of deaths. References are given to relevant material in Archibald Geikie : Memoir of Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay, Macmillan, 1895. 1/1 Notebook, leather covers, metal clasp, 11 x 19 cms, 118ff, and two loose sheets of index. Observations on levellings at Fishguard, 1841, and in Wales, 1842, etc; field notes, 1848-9, Wales, Studland Bay, etc. 1/2 Rees' improved diary and almanack, for 1842. Paper covers, 14 x 9 ems, 28ff. Daily diary. 1/3 'Geological notebook etc .•. 1st January 1842'. Notebook, 18 x 23 cms, 39ff, loose sheets ff72 - 80. There are a few geological and chemical notes and verses by ACR and Edward Forbes, up to 1846. p. 80: 'The lay of Sir Roderick the Bold and the Emperor of All the Russias'. [1857: Geikie, 241-3] - 1/4 Rees' improved diary almanack for 1845. Red leather cover, 14 x 10 cms, 29ff. Daily diary. 1/5 Rees' improved diary and a1manack for 1846. Paper covers, 14 '/~ ' 9 cms, 29ff. Daily diary. 1/6 Fie1 notebook. Leather covers, metal clasp, 7.5 x 12 cms· • "\ ~.: " ~2~ . ffl - 71, notes on field work, Wales, 14 July 1846 - 19 ~' August 1849. f 90: half sheet torn away. 1/7 Notebook, paper covers, 18.5 x 11.5 cms, 816ff. Field notes, in pen and pencil. September 1846. 1/8 Letts's diary no.2, 1847, boards, 25 x 20 cms, 123ff. Detailed daily diary, and monthly accounts at end . Some verses. 1/9 Notebook, paper covers, 18 x 12 cms, 47ff and three loose sheets. Label '1847'. Field notes, on Wales etc. 1/10 Letts's diary no.1, 1848. Boards, 25 x 20 cms, 203ff. Detailed daily diary, and monthly accounts. 1/11 Field notebook, leather cover, 8.5 x 13 cms, 56ff. Label '1850'. Field notes from 22 August 1848. f56 is loose sheet. 1/12 Notebook, boards, metal clasp, 6.5 x 10 cms, 37ff. Odd notes, addresses, [18481] 1 1/13 Letts's diary no. 1, 1849. Boards (lock removed.) 25 x 20 cms, 231ff. Daily diary, in parts in very great detail, dealing principally with ACR's love affair with Miss Sarah (Sally) Jukes, cousin of J B Jukes and apparently also related to Mrs Playfair. Monthly accounts at end. ff.84, 86 : letters from J B Jukes on the love affair; f93, on his own marriage. f£.103, 106, 110, 122, 157, 161, and 172: letters on the same subject from Lyon Playfair who acted as a go between. ff.119, 131, 151, 165, 176, 184, 190: letters from his wife, Margaret P1ayfair, also on tHe same subject. f.230 is a despairing poem, with a profile sketch of a woman's head on the back of the sheet. The tone of the diary may be represented by the entry on f.145, September 17: 'A day of horror and unutterable depression. Life seems a blank to me'. 1/14 Letts's diary no.l, 1850. Boards, with damaged lock, 25 x 20 cms, 202ff. A continued detailed account of ACR's love affairs: decline of f~eling for Miss Jukes (who from being an angel becomes an icicle) and first meetings with Miss Louisa Williams. f43, 19 April: account of R I discourse. 'Playfair's fortune is made now I believe' f.74: letter from Mrs Playfair. Monthly accounts at end. 1/15 Notebook, leather cover, metal clasp, 11 x 19 cms, 92ff. Label on cover '1850', loose sheets ff.93-7. Field notes, sketches etc. from 7 September 1850. f.l0: sketch of a woman's profile. Wales, 1.0.\01. -;0; 1/16 Letts's diary no.1, .1851. Boards, damaged lock, 25 _ ~ 20 cms, 207ff. Label ~ 1851'. Detailed diary; account of arrangements leading to the establishment of the Government School of Mines, difficulties with Sir Henry de la Beche, development of love affair with Miss Williams and a love affair of Howell's. f.14~ comments on character of Sir Henry; 'artful dodger'; f.30: discussions with Forbes; f.77, 82: comments on Playfair's relations with his wife; f.106v: resignation of UCL chair; f.144, 152: letter from Mrs Playfair. f.168: interview with Louisa's father: engagement, 15 November; notes by Geikie. Monthly accounts at end. 1/17 Notebook, leather covers, broken clasp, 11 x 19 cms, 92ff, 111pp, 3ff. Field notes, sketches, 6 October 1851 to July 1853, on Wales, Cheltenham etc. Notes on glaciers, sketches, mostly in pencil. 1/18 The literary and scientific almanack for 1852 ••• 'Diary, leather covers, 12 x 7.5 cms, 10ff. A few field notes, details of accounts etc. only. 1/18a Notebook, leather covers, metal clasp, 11 x 14 cms, 78ff. Notes drawings, of Rhine, 28 July-27 August 1852. 1/19 Letts's diary no.l, 1853. Boards, damaged lock, 25 x 20 cms, 76ff. Diary, in less detail than those preceding; a long gap between February and June, with no entries. f.12, June 3: birth of a daughter. Detailed annual accounts, month by month at the end of the diary. 2 1/20 Notebook, leather covers, metal clasp, 1 x 19 cms, 90ff. Label: '1853'. Field notes, sketches, July 1853-May 1854, on Wales etc. ff.87-8: poem on clay. 1/21 Letts's diary no. 1, 1854. Boards, 25 x 20 cms, 33f:f. Few diary entries, monthly accounts at end of book. f6; 6 June: copy of a letter to Playfair on his pay and that of Aveline. f8, 6 August: birth of his son William A1an; possible end of love affair of Howe11 and Amy. f9, 3 September; baptism of son. f11, 12 October: visit to Edinburgh to discuss with F.orbes, Sir Henry's 'queer and oscillating fast and loose conduct'.