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Sampson, A., 1982. ''The Changing Anatomy of Britain. ''London. Thackray, J.C., 1984. 'An Experiment in Popular Education—the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street.' Mss. | Sampson, A., 1982. ''The Changing Anatomy of Britain. ''London. Thackray, J.C., 1984. 'An Experiment in Popular Education—the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street.' Mss. | ||
[[History of the British Geological Survey]] | [[Category:History of the British Geological Survey]] |
Latest revision as of 08:33, 24 June 2020
From: Wilson, H.E. Down to earth - one hundred and fifty years of the British Geological Survey. Edinburgh:Scottish Academic Press, 1985. |
The text is derived from an 'orphan' work. BGS are committed to respecting the intellectual property rights of others. After extensive effort we are unable to trace the copyright holder of this work. Despite this, we would like to make this very important work on the history of BGS, written by a former member of staff of the Survey, available for researchers. If you are a rights holder and are concerned that you have found this work for which you have not granted permission please contact us with proof you are the rights holder. |
Down to earth: one hundred and fifty years of the British Geological Survey
By H. E. Wilson
Commemorating The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Geological Survey
The British Geological Survey has been part of the national infrastructure for a century and a half, since it sprang from its better-known parent, the Ordnance Survey. This is the story of its evolution and its problems — many common to other British scientific organizations — liberally spiced with anecdotes about many of the characters who have helped and hindered its progress.
In no sense an official history, this book is a record of an organization which has given valuable service and of the hundreds of men and women who have tried to maintain its reputation as 'the prototype of every other Geological Survey operating anywhere on the surface of the globe'.
Edinburgh and London: Scottish Academic Press, 1985. ISBN 7073 0473 3.
Introduction
The Geological Survey of Great Britain has often been regarded as the first national geological organization, though this claim has been shown by Victor Eyles to be doubtful, as there was state-financed geological work in France and the United States before 1835. Even in the United Kingdom the geological branch of the Ordnance Survey in Ireland was active in 1825 and must contest the claim to be first with the French Corps des Mines.
Nevertheless the Geological Survey of Great Britain, dating from the appointment of the first geologist in 1835, is certainly the only geological organisation which can offer a documented and unbroken history of one hundred and fifty years and its sesquicentennial in 1985 offers an opportunity for an update of the official centenary volume, The First Hundred Years of the Geological Survey of Great Britain by Sir John Flett, and the more idiosyncratic account by Sir Edward Bailey published in 1952.
This volume attempts to bring the record up to 1984, without repeating the details given in the earlier histories but giving some account of the first hundred years — and some of the background hitherto considered not fit for publication. The events of the last half century are recorded with, I hope, due regard for historical accuracy but are viewed with the eye of one who has always been regarded, like William Whitaker a century ago, as a 'sort of mutineer'. The author must, therefore, emphasise that this is a personal account and, though he acknowledges the help and co-operation of a host of his ex-colleagues, the views and opinions expressed are his own and in no sense those of the present Director or his staff.
I am greatly indebted to Robert Geary for his subtle chapter-head sketches.
Among those who have given me their time and memories I must especially mention Dr S Buchan, Sir Kingsley Dunham, Mrs Joan Eyles, Dr R C B Jones, Dr A G MacGregor, Mrs V M Mitchell, Dr A E Mourant, Mr J Pallister, Dr James Phemister, Mrs D Salmon, Sir James Stubblefield, Mr E Tallis and Dr A W Woodland.
I hope they will forgive me.
Contents
I A thorough jobber: De la Beche and the origins of the Geological Survey
II In all directions: developments under Sir Henry's fourteen successors
III Lunch paper: the evolution of staff reports
IV The Mandarins: those set in authority over us
V A Framework for government research and development':further developments under NERC
VI Home is where you hang your hat: locations where the Survey has been based
VIII From Stone-Age to microchip: the Geological Survey Drawing Office
IX Of shoes and ships and sealing wax: the conditions of service for professional staff
X Out and about: field survey and surveyors in the UK
XI Take a little water with it: a century of hydrogeology
XXI Far off fields: the development of Survey work overseas
XIII A matter of gravity: the emergence of geophysics as a separate discipline
XIV Cloak and dagger: geochemistry and the Atomic Energy Division
XV Lies, damn lies and the chequered history of mineral statistics
XVI On the shelf: geology beneath the waves
XVII The numbers game: computing and computers
XVIII What next: the future of the Geological Survey
Directors of the Geological Survey
Sir Henry De la Beche | 1835-1855 |
Sir Roderick Impey Murchison | 1855-1871 Director General |
Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay | 1871-1881 Director General |
Sir Archibald Geikie | 1882-1901 Director General |
Sir Jethro Justinian Harris Teall | 1901-1914 |
Sir Aubrey Strahan | 1914-1920 |
Sir John Smith Flett | 1920-1935 |
Bernard Smith | 1935-1936 |
Sir Edward Battersby Bailey | 1937-1945 |
Dr William Francis Porter McLintock | 1945-1950 |
Sir William John Pugh | 1950-1960 |
Sir Cyril James Stubblefield | 1960-1966 |
Sir Kingsley Charles Dunham | 1967-1976 |
Dr Austin William Woodland | 1976-1979 |
Dr George Malcolm Brown | 1979-1985 |
Superintendents of the Magnetic Observatory
James Glaisher | 1838-1874 |
William Ellis | 1875-1893 |
William Nash | 1894-1903 |
William Bryant | 1904-1923 |
William Witchell | 1923-1948 |
Walter Jackson | 1948-1950 |
Herbert Finch | 1950-1964 |
Richard Leaton | 1964-1970 |
— and head, Geomagnetism Unit, IGS | 1970-1980 |
References
Anon., 1945. The Scientific Civil Service. Reorganization and Recruitment during the Reconstruction Period. HMSO Cmnd 6679 (Barlow Committee)
Anon., 1963. Committee of Enquiry into the Organisation of Civil Service. HMSO Cmnd 2171. (Trend Committee)
Anon., 1964. Report of the Committee on Technical Assistance for Overseas Geology and Mining. HMSO Cmnd 2351. (Brundrett Committee)
Anon„ 1968. The Civil Service. HMSO Cmnd 3638. (Fulton Report)
Anon., 1971. A Framework for Government Research and Development. HMSO Cmnd 4814. (Rothschild Report)
Anon., 1972. Framework for Government Research and Development. HMSO Cmnd 5056.
Anon., 1979. A Review of the Framework for Government Research and Development. HMSO
Bailey, E.B., 1952. Geological Survey of Great Britain. London. Cottrell, A., 1981. What is Science Policy? Maxwell-Pergammon Discourse, The Royal Institution.
Eyles, V.A., 1950. 'The First National Geological Survey.' Geol. Mag. No7. p. 373-82.
Flett, J.S., 1937. The First Hundred Years of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, HMSO, London.
Greenly, E., 1938. A Hand Through Time, 2 vols. London. Harley, J.B., 1971. The Ordnance Survey and the Origins of Geological Mapping in Devon and Cornwall. Exeter Essays in Geography in Honour of Arthur Davies. Exeter University.
Herries-Davies, G.L., 1981. in A Geology of Ireland. Edinburgh.
Herries-Davies, G.L., 1983. Sheets of many Colours, Dublin.
Lister, M., 1684. 'An ingeneous proposal for a new sort of maps of countrys, together with tables of sands and clays, such as chiefly are found in the north of England.' Phil.Trans.Roy. Soc.14 p. 739-746.
McCartney, P., 1977. Henry De la Beche; Observations on an Observer. Friends of the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff.
Reeks, M., 1920. Register of the Associates and old students of the Royal School of Mines, and the History of the Royal School of Mines.
Sampson, A., 1982. The Changing Anatomy of Britain. London. Thackray, J.C., 1984. 'An Experiment in Popular Education—the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street.' Mss.