William Topley F.R.S., F.G.S.
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Images
Timeline
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| 1841 | Born March 13th at Greenwich. |
| 1858-1861 | Student at Royal School of Mines. |
| 1862 | Appointed Assistant Geologist on Geological Survey. |
| Field work in Wealden area under Le Neve Foster. Elected F.G.S. | |
| 1865 | Joint paper with Foster on “Denudation of the Weald” (Q.J.), |
| Memoir on the Weald published 1875. | |
| 1868 | Promoted to Geologist. |
| Worked in Northumberland and Durham Coalfield, chiefly on Carboniferous and Glacial Drifts. With Lebour studied Whin Sill and proved its intrusive character. | |
| 1872 | Committee of sub-Wealden exploration began work. Topley sent by Geological Survey to report on borings. |
| 1872-1878 | 15 times Secretary of Geology Section at British Association. |
| 1874 | Association of Institution of Civil Engineers. |
| 1875 | Examiner in Geology to Durham University. Succeeded Bristow as examiner to Science and Art Department. |
| 1880 | Field work in Northumberland abandoned. |
| Moved to Jermyn Street to superintend publication of maps and memoirs. | |
| 1881 | Appointed to superintend publication of British section of geological map of Europe, promised by International Geological Congress. |
| 1885 | President of Geologists Association. |
| Report on National Geological Surveys of Europe. | |
| 1888 | Elected F.R.S. |
| 1888 | Prepared with Goodchild geological map of Europe for vol. II of Prestwich’s Geology. |
| 1893 | Took entire charge of office [Jermyn Street] on retirement of Edward Best. |
| 1894 | Offered Chair of Committee of Bibliography at International Geological Congress at Zurich. |
| 1894 | Died September 30th. |
Biographies and obituaries
Proceedings of Royal Society vol. LIX (1896) p. lxix
Geological Magazine (1894) p. 570
Quarterly Journal Geological Society vol. LI (1895)
Publications
Completed 21 Survey maps. Published 82 papers and Memoirs on subjects: Phosphates; silver and gold; Channel Tunnel; Coal in Kent; Water-supply; petroleum; sanitation.
BGS archives
| Ref No | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GSM/DR/Ge/A/5 | Correspondence on various matters: letters to J.Craik, J.Evans, F.H.Hatch, J.Horne, D.R.Irvine, B... | |
| GSM/GL/Bw/4 | Correspondence with W.Gunn, W.Topley and R S Black | |
| GSM/GL/Cl/9 | Correspondence from Clough to other geologists: letters to Flett, Kitchin, E.T.Newton, B.N.Peach... | |
| GSM/GL/Cm/3 | Correspondence: letters to Mr Brown, Jukes-Browne, Rudler (about Fullers Earth), W.Topley, W.W... | |
| GSM/GL/Dr/10 | Correspondence with other geologists inc. G.England, J.W.Gray, E.T.Newton, Teall and W.Topley.Some letters to De Rance. | |
| GSM/GL/Tp | W.Topley Obituary file. | William Topley joined the Survey in 1862. Mapping of the Weald. Produced memoir:' The Geology of the Weald' in 1875. |
| GSM/GL/Tp/3 | Notes on the geology of the Weald: rough notes by W.Topley, F.Drew, C.Gould, W.Whitaker and others with a volume of notes by C le N.Foster. |