Geikie, Archibald, Sir (Professor of Geology, University of Edinburgh)
Person
Dates
- Existence: 1835-1924
Biographical History
Sir Archibald Geikie was born at Edinburgh in 1835, the son of John Stuart Geikie, businessman, and composer, and Isabella Thom. He married Alice Gabrielle Pignatel in 1871. His education was at Black's school, then Edinburgh High School and he showed a great aptitude for study and his interest in science was furthered in the direction of geology when he and his friends discovered fossils at Burdiehouse quarries. Geikie was influenced by scientists such as naturalist John Fleming, to whom he was introduced by his father, and by the many books on geolgy which he consumed, most notably Hugh Miller's Old Red Sandstone.
Geikie's professional life began initially in banking, which he did not enjoy and 1851 saw his a newspaper publication of his Three Weeks in Arran by a Young Geologist, which led to an introduction to Hugh Miller. He also became acquainted with publisher Alexander Macmillan, geologist James David Forbes and Andrew Crombie Ramsay. The banking career abandoned, he matriculated at the University of Edinburgh in 1854 but had to leave the following year for financial reasons. A recommendation by both Miller and Ramsay to Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, newly appointed head of the Geological Survey, secured Geikie a position there as mapping assistant. The following years saw him make the acquaintance of distinguished scientists such as Leonard Horner and Sir Charles Lyell.
His official work was supplemented by research during his holiday time, travelling throughout the British Isles and Europe. 1867 saw him appointed director of the newly created branch, the Scottish Geological Survey. When Murchison founded the chair of geology in 1870 at the University of Edinburgh, Geikie was his choice as professor and he was appointed the following year.
Geikie's field and research work took him all over the British Isles and to many parts of Europe. He successfully combined his duties to both posts as well as devoting time to private research and writing. As well as his scientific writings, Geikie wrote several well-known biographical and historical books including Memoirs of Sir Roderick Impey Murchison (1875), Andrew Crombie Ramsay (1895), Edward Forbes (1861), and Founders of Geology (1897). 1924 saw the publication of his own autobiography.
He went on to succeed Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay as head of the Geological Survey of Great Britain in 1881, which he held until his retiral in 1901. This saw him relocate to London and take a more active role in many scientific societies. Those relating to the Royal Society, he took particular interest in after his retiral, serving as secretary and president.
Noteable Publications
- 1865
- Scenery of Scotland
- Account of the Progress of the Geological Survey in Scotland
- 1873
- Physical Geography
- Colliers of Carrick
- 1875
- Life of Sir Roderick I Murchison, Bart.
- 1877
- Outlines of Field Geology
- Elementary Lessons in Field Geology
- 1882
- Text-book of Geology
- Geological Sketches at Home and Abroad
- 1886
- Classbook of Geology; Illustrated with Woodcuts
- Geology
- 1895
- Memoir of Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay
- 1897
- Founders of Geology
- Ancient Volcanoes of Great Britain
- 1906
- History of the Geography of Scotland; with Maps and Illustrations
- 1907
- French Impression of Scotland and the Scots in the Year 1784
- 1909
- Charles Darwin as Geologist
- 1916
- Birds of Shakespeare
- 1917
- Annals of the Royal Society Club: the Record of a London Dining-Club in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
Honours, Qualifications and Appointments
- 1861
- Elected Fellow, Royal Society of Edinburgh
- 1865
- Elected Fellow, Royal Society of London
- 1867
- Appointed Director, Scottish Geological Survey
- 1870
- Appointed First Professor of Geology, the University of Edinburgh
- 1881
- Appointed Head, Geological Survey
- Awarded Murchison Medal
- 1890
- Appointed President, Geological Society
- Knighthood
- 1895
- Awarded Woolaston Meda
- 1896
- Awarded Royal Medal, Royal Society of London
- 1907
- Appointed Knight Commander, Order of the Bath
- 1910
- Appointed President, the Classical Association
Sources
Dictionary of Scientific Biography, Volume II , ( New York, Scribner's, 1981)
Found in 334 Collections and/or Records:
5 Lectures on geology, c1879
Item
Identifier: Coll-74/6/18
Scope and Contents
Notes and text for five lectures on geology. Sir Archibald Geikie placed civilisation, religion and mythology in the context of geological development, looking at geolgical formations and the processes and materials involved in their creation.
Dates:
c1879
Account of the 'Liasic district of Skye', 1853
Item
Identifier: Coll-74/2/2
Scope and Contents
An account of geolocical and natural history aspects of the Isle of Skye made by Sir Archibald Geikie, who visited there in 1853. References are made to the scenery, shale, limestone, coral and glacial formations amongst others.
Dates:
1853
Answers to queries, late 19th century
Item
Identifier: Coll-74/5/5
Scope and Contents
Answers to queries made by Sir Archibald Geikie on the form of clouds, dust wirlwinds, heights of British lakes, Petermann's drawings of vertical distribution of plants and the sea bed between Britain and Norway.
Dates:
late 19th century
Applications in regard to Levelling Old Strand Lines in Scotland, 1900-1901
File
Identifier: Coll-74/3/10
Scope and Contents
5 letters to Sir Archilbald Geikie, 1 each from Martin Alister Campbell Hinton (1883-1961) and Russell F Gwinnell, following Geikie's lecture to the Geologists' Association on 'Our Older Sea Margins', and 3 from John W Lime offering his services for further survey work around the coast of Scotland.
Dates:
1900-1901
Archibald Geikie, correpondence
Series
Identifier: Coll-1815/2
Scope and Contents
Letters to Sir Archibald Geike from: Hicks, Henry (25 Oct. 1887); Hooker, Joseph Dalton (Sir) (May 1890); Horne, John (5 Jun. 1898); Huxley, Thomas Henry (17 May 1862); Kidston, Robert (3 Aug. 1883); Lapworth, Charles (Sir) (16 Nov. 1898); Lyell, Charles (Sir) (31 Mar. 1860); Marcou, Jules (5 Jan. 1871); Marcon, Jules (30 Apr. 1878); Milne, John (15 Aug. 1895); Peach, Benjamin Neve (19 Oct. 1898); Prestwich, Joseph (Sir) (15 May 1892?); Scrope, G. Poulett (1866?); Sorby, Henry...
Dates:
Majority of material found within 1840s-1940s
Bibliographic notes, 1890s-1900s
Item
Identifier: Coll-74/3/13
Scope and Contents
Rough bibliographical notes relating to Raised Beaches.
Dates:
1890s-1900s
Booklet: 'Geographical Evolution', 1879
Item
Identifier: Coll-74/6/3
Scope and Contents
Printed booklet by Sir Archibald Geikie, entitled 'Geographical Evolution' and containing the text of a lecture given to the Royal Geographical Society on 24 March 1879 and taken from 'Proceedings of the Royal Society and Monthly Record of Geography', July 1879.
Dates:
1879
Boston lectures, c1879
Series
Identifier: Coll-74/6
Scope and Contents
The Boston lectures and other items series consists of:
- Text of lectures
- Notes for lectures
- Maps
Dates:
c1879
Copy of letter to Alexander MacMillan from George Wilson and copy of letter to a cousin of George Wilson's from George Wilson, 16 September 1858, 03 December 1854
Item
Identifier: Coll-74/11/3/54
Scope and Contents
Copy of letter to Alexander MacMillan from George Wilson outlining the chapter headings for his 'Memoir of Edward Forbes' and copy of letter to a cousin of George Wilson's from George Wilson concerning the fate of Edward Forbes' soul.
Dates:
16 September 1858; 03 December 1854
Copy of letter to [Jessie Aitken Wilson] from Emily M Yelverton, 27 January 1860
Item
Identifier: Coll-74/11/3/60
Scope and Contents
Copy of letter to [Jessie Aitken Wilson] from Emily M Yelverton telling her that she does not sanction the completion of the 'Memoir of Edward Forbes' by Sir Archibald Geikie and asking for the return of all personal items which she had lent to the late George Wilson for the project.
Dates:
27 January 1860