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Lyell, Sir Charles, 1797-1875 (1st Baronet | Scottish geologist)

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 14 November 1797 - 22 February 1875

Biography

Charles Lyell Project - 2020

Biography

Sir Charles Lyell (1797-1875) wrote many geological papers, mainly published by the Geological Society of London (1807-present day), but his reputation rests almost entirely on his work Principles of Geology, ( 1830-1833) inspired in part by a European tour with Sir Roderick Impey Murchison and also his knowledge of James Hutton's Theory of the Earth. In this work, first published in three volumes, Lyell propounded his theory of uniformitarianism, which holds that all geological formations can be explianed solely in terms of natural processes which can be observed in operation today. This ran counter to the prevailing theory which assumed that mountain-building and other geological phenomena could only have occurred as a result of major cataclysmic events in the past. Lyell's uniformitarianism was developed in order to reject the progressionism implicit in the prevailing theory, which he saw as leading to evolution, an idea which he strongly opposed. Ironically, Lyell's opposition to evolution brought the idea to scientists' attention and the vast time scales required by uniformitarianism enabled Darwin to conceive of his version of evolutionary theory. Lyell's other works include: The Elements of Geology, ( 1837) Geological Evidences of the Antiquity of Man, ( 1863-1873).

Charles Lyell's father was an active naturalist, and Lyell had access to an elaborate library which included works on geology. Whilst at Oxford University he attended lectures by William Buckland, professor of geology, that triggered his enthusiasm for the subject. He became more and more interested in the subject and made many geological tours with his family in England and Scotland in 1817, and on the Continent the following year, the first of many trips abroad. In 1828 he explored the volcanic region of the Auvergne, then went to Mount Etna to gather supporting evidence for the theory of geology he would expound in his Principles of Geology . He also made numerous tours of the United States, described in Travels in North America, ( 1909) . His writings deal with the rock cycle, which explains how one type of rock is transformed into another. Lyell also expounds notions on volcanic forces, deposition, erosion and palaeontology in his writings. His work helped to establish the modern study of geology and geologic time. In addition to rock formation, he also wrote about palaeontology. It was Lyell who proposed the idea of reference fossils - fossils which are indicative of certain periods of geologic time. He divided geologic time into four periods: Pleistocene, Older Pliocene, Miocene and Eocene. His final work, The Antiquity of Man, ( 1863) , was a wide-ranging study of the human fossil record. In this work Lyell finally accepted Darwinian evolution, but still tried to insist that there was a radical discontinuity between humankind and the rest of the animal kingdom.

In 1823 Lyell was appointed secretary of the Geological Society of London, and 3 years later they made him their foreign secretary. He was twice President in 1836 and 1850. Lyell was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1826. He was awarded a Royal Medal in 1834 and the Copley Medal in 1858 and in 1866 he was awarded the Wollaston Medal. In 1832 he was the first professor of geology at King's College, London, and became President of the British Association in 1864.

Found in 994 Collections and/or Records:

Editorial notes on paper scraps, on geology of Forfarshire, c1848-1849

 Item
Identifier: Coll-203/3/27
Scope and Contents

Thin paper scraps recording references and mentions to Forfarshire geology, as retrieved from Lyell's Scientific Notebooks 157 -159.

Dates: c1848-1849

Ephemera relating to American Tour, 1840s

 Series — Box Lyell Temp Box 3.14: Series Coll-203/B18; Series Coll-203/B17
Identifier: Coll-203/B17
Scope and Contents

Card of Columbia College 1853;
Certificates from Niagara Falls recording the passing behind the falls to Termination Rock 7th June 1842. One issued for Charles Lyell and one for Mary Lyell, signed Isaiah Starkey;
Handwritten itinerary of US Tours 1845, 1845 - 1846;
Chronological time line of his life from 1804 to 1875.

Dates: 1840s

Etna. Discourse on the eruption of 1755, 1850s

 Item
Identifier: Coll-203/4/8
Scope and Contents

Chronology of the eruption of Etna in the spring and summer of 1755 with an eye witness account, 1850s.

Dates: 1850s

Extracts from Geological Works, 1824

 Item
Identifier: Coll-203/A2/3
Scope and Contents

Contains mostly extracts from select Geological Works, and some illustrations. Geological Works referred to include H[ar]burton on some beds of Shell Marle in Scotland; various authors on Bakie including Blackadder, Ogilvie; Humboldt's Personal Narrative. A number of pages blank, paginated.

Dates: 1824

"F. Chemists, Physicians, Travellers, and Geographers", 1808-1897

 Item
Identifier: Coll-1997/2
Scope and Contents This volume is entitled "F. Chemists, Physicians, Travellers, and Geographers" and contains 85 letters addressed to Sir Charles Lyell and others in his family by physicists, chemists, explorers, geographers, geologists, and doctors and surgeons. Most of the letters are accompanied by a facing photograph or portrait print of the letter’s author. Humphry Davy, chemist, with signed portrait [plate]. 1...
Dates: 1808-1897

Gaetano Gemmellaro Envelope, 5 November 1858

 Item
Identifier: Coll-203/4/28
Scope and Contents

Empty envelope sent from Gaetano Gemmellaro in Catania, Sicily, to Sir Charles Lyell in London, 5 November 1858.

Dates: 5 November 1858

General Index Book , 1855 - 1868

 Item
Identifier: Coll-203/A5/1
Scope and Contents Labelled 'General Index' and noted as 'begins 1855' this volume appears to be the first of two General Indexes, and is connected with Coll-203/A5/12. It is less structured with authors listed alphabetically, with their works listed below, then the number of the tract (series of bound Offprints). Created in 1855 the works included are not frequently dated as in Coll-203/A5/12, however appear to date from 1846 -1868. These two General Indexes (Coll-203/A5/1 and Coll-203/A5/12 are therefore...
Dates: 1855 - 1868

General Index Book, 1855 - 1874

 Item
Identifier: Coll-203/A5/12
Scope and Contents Labelled 'General Index' which follows on from the first General Index reference Coll-203/A5/1, both of which link back to indexes referenced Coll-203/A5/2-11. Undated, the works included date from 1837 until 1874. This index has each page split into 5 columns. the first column lists authors alphabetically, followed by the titles of their work (article or book) and date, followed by a note of the relevant index notebook - and tract (series of bound Offprints). These two General Indexes...
Dates: 1855 - 1874

Geological cross section of Grand Canary from North to South, 1855

 Item
Identifier: Coll-203/2/folio(s) 197
Scope and Contents

Geological cross section of Grand Canary from Maspalomas in the North to Banaderos Bay in the south showing rock types. The length of the land depicted in the cross section is 26 geographical miles and the greatest height is 6400 feet, 1855.

Dates: 1855

Geological Cross Section of Madeira, 1850s

 Item
Identifier: Coll-203/2/folio(s) 52
Scope and Contents

Watercolour geological cross section of the Island of Madeira from Funchal to [Paco] Girao showing the Caldera and other geological features, 1850s. Unsigned, may be Hartung.

Dates: 1850s