Skip to main content

Murchison, Sir Roderick Impey, 1792-1871 (1st Baronet | Scottish geologist)

 Person

Staff Only

Dates

  • Existence: 22 February 1792 - 22 October 1871

Biography

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 56 Collections and/or Records:

Letter to Sir Archibald Geikie from John Jeremiah Bigsby, 27 April 1875

 Item
Identifier: Coll-74/11/8/50
Scope and Contents

Letter to Sir Archibald Geikie from John Jeremiah Bigsby thanking Geikie for the note in which he apologised for accidentally missing Bigsby's Thesaurus Siluricas from his list of recent paleontology works in Life of Sir Roderick I. Murchison, Bart, ( 1875) .

Dates: 27 April 1875
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers of Sir Archibald Geikie / Correspondence of Sir Archibald Geikie (A-H) / Correspondence to Sir Archibald Geikie: A Bachellery to Thomas Forster Brown

Letters from Boucher des Perthes to Charles Lyell, 16th March 1860- 23rd April 1860

 File — Box Box 1.1: Series Coll-203/1 (Lyell 1)
Identifier: Coll-203/1/27
Scope and Contents

Summarised by Lyell
1) Boucher de Perthes sending shells for
2) "Bivalve of Menchecourt"
3) "Boucher de Perthes shells of Menchecourt by

Dates: 16th March 1860- 23rd April 1860
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers of Sir Charles Lyell / Correspondence to Charles Lyell, A-Z 1927 tranche

Letters from Hicks, Henry to Charles Lyell, 1 October 1868 - 20 March 1874

 File — Box Box 1.7: Series Coll-203/1 (Lyell 1)
Identifier: Coll-203/1/130
Scope and Contents Lyell’s summarises the letters as: - 'The Cambrian group reduced to nothing if all the Longmynd [sic Long Mynd] are Silurian'. Thanking for receiving Elements edition, "there is an unusual charm in your books which compels a careful reading from them". Briefly refutes Mr Davidson’s Primordial Silurian group. 1 October 1868. - 'Cambrian of Elements'. Divisions of periods, where they start & end, where various Welsh formations fall into those. Small diagram included...
Dates: 1 October 1868 - 20 March 1874
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers of Sir Charles Lyell / Correspondence to Charles Lyell, A-Z 1927 tranche

Letters from Hitchcock, Edward to Charles Lyell, 17 December 1843 - 30 August 1860

 File — Box Box 1.7: Series Coll-203/1 (Lyell 1)
Identifier: Coll-203/1/133
Scope and Contents The correspondence between Charles Lyell and Edward Hitchcock is mainly concerned with geology, specifically sandstone footprints. Lyell or his team, have summarised the letters, either on the envelope, or on the letter itself - usually in the space allocated to the address. Where there is a summary, it has been transcribed here. 'Hitchcock Dec[ember] 1843'. This letter is concerned with newly discovered...
Dates: 17 December 1843 - 30 August 1860
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers of Sir Charles Lyell / Correspondence to Charles Lyell, A-Z 1927 tranche

Letters from Phillips, John to Charles Lyell, 1836 - 25 January 1864

 File — Box Box 1.11: Series Coll-203/1 (Lyell 1)
Identifier: Coll-203/1/207
Scope and Contents Letters are summarised by Lyell, noting original numbering given in brackets () and with some additional commentary provided where possible, linking Lyell's letters to Philips, now held at Oxford University Museum of Natural History. J. Phillips on fossil shells. 1836. Part for C. Stokes. (2). Reply to a letter from Lyell to Phillips (Oxford University Museum of Natural History, John Phillips...
Dates: 1836 - 25 January 1864
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers of Sir Charles Lyell / Correspondence to Charles Lyell, A-Z 1927 tranche

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:


  1. letters from Sir Roderick Impey Murchison to Charles Wentworth Dilke
  2. assorted correspondence
  3. letters received by Sir Archibald Geikie
  4. notes and papers
Dates: 1810-1871
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers of Sir Archibald Geikie / Correspondence of Sir Roderick Impey Murchison

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:


  1. 17 letters, chronologically arranged.
Dates: 1854-1857
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers of Sir Archibald Geikie / Correspondence of Sir Roderick Impey Murchison

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:


  1. 86 letters, alphabetically arranged
Dates: mid 19th century
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers of Sir Archibald Geikie / Correspondence of Sir Roderick Impey Murchison

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.

There are also drawings, one of which is labelled 'by Lady Murchison' one of which is available on LUNA.

Dates: 1805-1871
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers of Sir Roderick Impey Murchison and his Family / Sir Roderick Impey Murchison

Letters to Murchison, Roderick Impey, from Charles Lyell, 19 April 1828-5 February 1829

 File
Identifier: Coll-203/B3/12
Scope and Contents Letters from Charles Lyell to RI Murchison: 29 April 1828 London 10 October 1828 Florence 14 October 1828 Rome 6 November 1828 Naples 16 December 1828 Licata 12 January 1829 Naples - short summary included 15 January 1829 Naples - short summary included 17 January 1829 Rome ...
Dates: 19 April 1828-5 February 1829
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Papers of Sir Charles Lyell / Correspondence - Letters from Sir Charles Lyell to others