Frederick McCoy K.C.M.G., M.A., D.Sc.(Cantab), F.R.S., F.G.S.
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Timeline
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| 1823 | Born in Dublin, son of Dr. Simon McCoy M.D. |
| Educated for medical profession in Dublin and Cambridge but took up study of Natural Science. | |
| Accepted Sir Richard Griffith’s offer to do palaeontology for Geological Map of Ireland for the Boundary Survey. | |
| Results in volume published 1844 “Synopsis of Carboniferous Limestone Fossils of Ireland” and 1846 “Synopsis of Silurian Fossils of Ireland”. | |
| 1845 | Invited by Sir Henry James and De la Beche to join Survey of Ireland. Joined May 24th. |
| 1846-1850 | Undertook with Sedgwick work on Palaeozoic rocks and fossils (Woodwardian Museum), (“British Palaeozoic Rocks and Fossils” published with Sedgwick 1852). |
| 1850 | Appointed by Sir Robert Peel’s Government to Chair of Geology and Mineralogy at Queen’s University (Northern College), Belfast. |
| 1852 | British Palaeozoic rocks & fossils. Sedgwick and McCoy. |
| 1854 | Appointed first Professor of Natural Science in Melbourne University (post held for more than 30 years). |
| Established National Museum of Natural History and Geology in Melbourne. Member of various Royal Commissions – on Goldfields of Victoria; on Technical Instruction; on Education; International and Intercolonial Exhibitions. Appointed Government Palaeontolo | |
| 1886 | Elected F.R.S. |
| 1886 | Made C.M.G. |
| 1891 | K.C.M.G. |
| Received many honours and distinctions, British and Foreign (Geological Magazine (1899) p. 285). | |
| 1895 | Died May 16th at Melbourne. |
Biographies and obituaries
Obituary - Professor Sir Frederick McCoy, K.C.M.G., M.A., D.Sc.(Cantab), F.R.S., F.G.S. Born 1823, died 16th May 1899. Geologists Magazine. New Series. v. 6 p.283-287. 1899
Whitaker, W. Obituary - Sir Frederick McCoy, K.C.M.G., F.R.S. [In Anniversary Address.]. Proceedings of the Geological Society in Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society. v. 56 p.lix-lx. 1900
Royal Society Obituary 1900-01 p. 31.
Frederick McCoy — Wikipedia article
McCoy, Frederick (DNB01) — Wikisource
History of Geological Society, H.B.W. (1907)p. 188,189. "Mention should be made of the distinguished palaeontologist, Frederick McCoy (1823-99), who assisted Sir Richard Griffith in Ireland, and worked with Sedgwick in the Woodwardian Museum at Cambridge during the years 1846-50, till he became professor of Geology in Queen's College, Belfast. In 1854 he was appointed professor of Natural Science in the University of Melbourne, and in course of time was recognised as the leading naturalist in Australia. He was created K.C.M.G. in 1891."
Fendley, G.C. Biography - Sir Frederick McCoy. Australian Dictionary of Biography
McCoy, Sir Frederick (1817-1899), geologist and naturalist — Dictinary of Australian Biography (at Guttenberg.net)
Publications
Additional writings: Geological magazine (1899) pp. 285-287.
Works listed in the BGS Library catalogue
McCoy, F.. Griffith, R.J.. 1862. A synopsis of the characters of the Carboniferous limestone fossils of Ireland: by Frederick McCoy; Richard John Griffith, Sir.. - London: Williams & Norgate
McCoy, F.. Griffith, R.J.. 1844. A synopsis of the characters of the Carboniferous limestone fossils of Ireland. - Dublin: Printed at the University Press by M. H. Gill
Sedgwick, A.. McCoy, F.. 1855. A synopsis of the classification of the British Palaeozoic rocks. - London: Parker
McCoy, F.. Griffith, R.J.. Salter, J.W.. 1862. A Synopsis of the Silurian fossils of Ireland. - London: Williams & Norgate
McCoy, F.. Griffith, R.J.. 1846. A synopsis of the Silurian fossils of Ireland collected from the several districts by Richard Griffith; the whole being named, and the new species drawn and described by Frederick McCoy. - Dublin: Printed at the University Press by M. H. Gill
BGS archives
| Ref No | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GSM/DC/A/C/3/35 | F. McCoy: Letter of appointment. | |
| GSM/DC/A/C/3/35 | H. James: Letter to F. McCoy. | |
| GSM/DC/A/C/3/250 | F. McCoy: Letter on his resignation. | |
| GSM/DC/A/C/11/187 | F McCoy: Letters about his resignation. |