Murchison, Sir Roderick Impey, 1792-1871 (1st Baronet | Scottish geologist)
Person
Dates
- Existence: 22 February 1792- 22 October 1871
Sir Roderick Impey Murchison ( 1792-1871), developed the modern classification of the Palaeozoic period, through his research emphasising biostratigraphy; the deposition of strata indicated by fossils. In the course of his career he successively defined the Silurian, Devonian and Permian strata, which replaced Greywacke and Coal Measures in the scientific literature.
After serving with the army in the Peninsula War and a period of time pursuing his interest in hunting, the independently wealthy Murchison began attending lectures at the Royal Institution. In 1825 he joined the Geological Society of London. Shortly afterwards he read the society his first paper, on the geology of parts of Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey. In the following five years Murchison made field explorations to Scotland, France, and the Alps with either Adam Sedgwick or Charles Lyell. In 1831 he began a study of the Early Palaeozoic rocks in South Wales. These studies were the basis of his defining work The Silurian System, ( 1839) . Further geological research in south western England and the Rhineland, in collaboration with Adam Sedgwick, defined the Devonian System. Russian field expeditions, in conjunction with French colleagues, became the basis for the definition of the Permian System. These expeditions also resulted in his works The Geology of Russia in Europe, ( 1845) and The Ural Mountains, ( 1845) . Successive editions of his expanded treatise on the Silurian System, Siluria, ( 1854) (5th ed. 1872) were also prepared. Latterly he became interested in encouraging geographical exploration and colonialism.
Murchison was president of the Geological Society of London in both 1831-1832 and 1842-1843 and became long term president of the Royal Geographical Society in 1844. As one of the founders of the British Association he was elected president for 1846. He was knighted in 1846 and also awarded the Russian Order of St. Stanislaus of the 1st Class. Appointments as director general of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, and director of the Government School of Mines and the Museum of Economic Geology, London, followed in 1855. From 1863-1871 he was Patron of the Edinburgh Geological Society during which time he was raised to a Baronet. In 1871 he founded a Chair of Geology and Mineralogy at the University of Edinburgh.
Found in 48 Collections and/or Records:
Letters from Sir Roderick Impey Murchison to Charles Wentworh Dilke and related material, 1810-1871
Series
Identifier: Coll-74/10/2
Scope and Contents
The letters from Sir Roderick Impey Murchison to Charles Wentworth Dilke and related material consist of:
- letters from Sir Roderick Impey Murchison to Charles Wentworth Dilke
- assorted correspondence
- letters received by Sir Archibald Geikie
- notes and papers
Dates:
1810-1871
Letters from Sir Roderick Impey Murchison to Lady Charlotte Murchison, 1854-1857
Series
Identifier: Coll-74/10/1
Scope and Contents
The letters from Sir Roderick Impey Murchison to Lady Charlotte Murchison consist of:
- 17 letters, chronologically arranged.
Dates:
1854-1857
Letters received by Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, mid 19th century
Series
Identifier: Coll-74/10/4
Scope and Contents
The letters from Sir Roderick Impey Murchison to Charles Wentworth Dilke and related material consist of:
- 86 letters, alphabetically arranged
Dates:
mid 19th century
Letters received by Sir Roderick Impey Murchison and other documents, 1805-1871
Sub-Series
Identifier: Coll-51/3/3
Scope and Contents
3 bundles of around 15 letters (total) received by Sir R.I.Murchison, c.1820-1870, correpondents including his wife, his solicitor and Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay.
Documents connected with Sir R.I.Murchison, c.1805-1871. c.50 items. Includes: passport to France 1814-1815; appointment as Director-General of Geological Survey, 1855.
Images from this series:
Documents connected with Sir R.I.Murchison, c.1805-1871. c.50 items. Includes: passport to France 1814-1815; appointment as Director-General of Geological Survey, 1855.
Images from this series:
Dates:
1805-1871
Letters to Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay, 1843-1879
Sub-Series
Identifier: Coll-74/11/1
Scope and Contents
The Letters to Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay sub-series consists of:
- 14 letters from a variety of European correspondents concerning geological papers and research (1843-1879).
Dates:
1843-1879
Minute Book No 7, 07 November 1867 - 18 March 1879
Item — Volume: MS 2918.1
Identifier: Coll-43/1/7
Scope and Contents
Notebook containing minutes of ordinary meetings with 432 numbered pages. Full details of the Society's business is recorded including: details of honorary, corresponding and normal membership and diplomas awarded, reports from Annual General Meetings including details of office-bearers and their election, financial details, details of the publications of Transactions of the Edinburgh Geological Society, details of donations for the Society's museum and...
Dates:
07 November 1867 - 18 March 1879
Minute Book No IV, 17 October 1850 - 04 June 1857
Item — Volume: MS 2917.4
Identifier: Coll-43/1/4
Scope and Contents
2 notebooks pasted together containing minutes of meetings. Membership details include: details of new and retiring members and those who attended each meeting. A list of names and address for members in 1858 is pasted into the back of the book. The financial affairs of the Society are reported, and the annual report for 1850 is pasted into the front of the book. The reading of member's papers are minuted, along with the resultant discussions, although many abstracts have been...
Dates:
17 October 1850 - 04 June 1857
Minute Book No V, 16 January 1862 - 26 October 1863
Item — Volume: MS 2917.5
Identifier: Coll-43/1/5
Scope and Contents
Notebook containing minutes of both council and general meetings, including an alphabetical index at the beginning of the book and 172 numbered pages. Full details of the Society's business is recorded including: details of honorary, corresponding and normal membership, details of office-bearers and their election, financial details, reports on the Society's general business, plans and reports on a Conversazione held on 15 March 1863, details of donations for the Society's museum...
Dates:
16 January 1862 - 26 October 1863
Notebook No.8, 4 May 1828-18 May 1828
Item — Box: Lyell-temp-box 1
Identifier: Coll-203/A1/8
Scope and Contents
This brown leather notebook features Lyell's copy hand throughout, many detailed sketches, Dover, Calais, mention of Auvergne, Fault Shakespeare's Cliff, Geological observations at Dover, Calais and on road south from Paris to Riom. The inside cover notes his address, "Mr. C Lyell, No 9 Crown Office Row, Temple". The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning and end of the notebook,...
Dates:
4 May 1828-18 May 1828
Notebook No.9, 18 May 1828-2 June 1828
Item — Box: Lyell-temp-box 1
Identifier: Coll-203/A1/9
Scope and Contents
This notebook of brown leather contains geological notes on the Auvergne region. Lyell writes in a journalistic style with daily observations and descriptions, with whole page sketches and diagrams of the landscape. The inside cover is written "Mr C Lyell No. 9 Crown Office Row Temple." The front plate reads "No 2 France, Clermont Ferrand, Auvergne, May 18th to June 2nd 1828." The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from...
Dates:
18 May 1828-2 June 1828