Richard Gibbs

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Richard Gibbs, Fossil Collector, Geological Survey of the United Kingdom

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Timeline

Date Details
c. 1815 Date of birth.
1843 Joined Survey (Fossil Collector). 8th July.
1872 Retired. 26th January.
1878 Died January 13th.

"The collection of the fossils of the Isle of Wight fluvio-marine deposits was conducted chiefly by Mr. Gibbs, whilst I was at work upon the beds; and to his ability and minute observation the greatest credit is due" E.F. Quote from: On the Tertiary fluvio-marine formation of the Isle of Wight by E. Forbes. London: Printed for HMSO published by Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans, 1856.

BGS Archives

GSM/DC/A/C/8/284,288 || R Gibbs: Letter on retiring allowance. 1872.

Two letters in the Survey letter books relating to his retiring allowance.

Notebook listing sites from which he collected specimens.

Selected quotes from: From Memoir of Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay

Footnote 6 on p66

Richard Gibbs, a native of Gloucestershire, was first employed by De la Beche in running sections in the Mitcheldean district, and made himself so useful that he was eventually attached to the staff of the Survey. A large part of the fossil collections in the Museum of Practical Geology was originally collected by him. His name will frequently occur in the subsequent pages of this Memoir. He retired from the service on a pension in 1872, and died in 1878.

p 136

20th. Gibbs and I started at half-past nine up Snowdon. Went down to the copper mine at Llyn-du-r Arddu. We climbed up the face of the cliff there, just by the great fault a fearful place. It was frozen over in many places with ice and snow. It took us a whole hour to climb it, and we were frequently obliged to stop when in a secure position to beat our hands to warm them. We had often to cut steps in the rock and ice. Gibbs never for a moment lost his coolness, but I got a little nervous for two or three minutes. Once up half-way it was impossible to return; we were obliged to go up. Had a foot or hand given way one or both of us would have been smashed. Parted on the other side of the ridge. I walked across Snowdon to Beddgelert. The top was covered with snow ; fine view. Got to Beddgelert by six, just before Selwyn s dinner.

Other items

Letter about the appointment of Richard Gibbs to the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom, 2nd October 1845. Provided by Dr Zoe Marchment.