Sir Arthur Elijah Trueman (26 April 1894 – 5 January 1956) was a British

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...

Life

Trueman was born in

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

, the son of Elijah Trueman, a lacemaker, and his wife Thirza Newton Cottee. He was educated at High Pavement School in Nottingham from 1899 to 1911, then became a student teacher at Huntington Street School, Nottingham. He entered University College Nottingham in 1912 with a grant as a teacher in training, and studied

Geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

under H. H. Swinnerton, graduating

B.Sc. A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

with first-class honours in 1914. He gained a M.Sc in 1916 and doctorate ( D. Sc.) in 1918, all from University College Nottingham. Trueman's first academic post was as Assistant Lecturer at University College, Cardiff, from late 1917 until 1920. From 1920 on, he was lecturer and head of the Department of Geology at the newly established

University College, Swansea Swansea University ( cy, Prifysgol Abertawe) is a public university, public research university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. It was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. ...

, and was appointed Professor of Geology and head of the Department of Geography in 1930. In 1933, he was appointed Chaning Wills Professor of Geology at the

University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

, where he also served as Dean of the Faculty of Science for three years. Amongst his students at that time was the young future Professor L. R. Moore. In 1937, he was invited chair of geology at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

until 1946, to be succeeded by his student

Neville George Thomas Neville George FRS FRSE LLD (13 May 1904 – 18 June 1980) was a Welsh geologist. He was president of the Geological Society of London. Life Thomas Neville George was born in the Morriston district of Swansea, the son of Thomas Rupert Ge ...

. In 1938 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

. His proposers were John Walton, George Tyrrell, John Weir and James Kendall. In 1942 he was also elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of London The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

. From 1946 until 1953 he served in the University Grants Committee, since 1949 as chairman. From 1945 to 1947, he was president of the Geological Society of London. He also served as chairman of the British Association Committee on the Teaching of Geology in Schools, as president of the Geological Section of the

Bristol Naturalists' Society The Bristol Naturalists' Society is an organisation whose objectives include the promotion of the study of natural history, particularly that of the Bristol area, and the conservation of the fauna, flora, and geological sites of Britain. It was f ...

, and president of the Glasgow Geological Society. He was knighted by King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952. ...

in 1951. He died in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

on 5 January 1956.

Family

In 1920, he married Florence Kate Offler.

Recognition

* 1925

Murchison Fund The Murchison Fund is an award given by the Geological Society of London to researchers under the age of 40 who have contributed substantially to the study of hard rock and tectonic geology. It is named in honour of Prof. Roderick Impey Murchison. ...

, Geological Society of London * 1934 Gold Medal, South Wales Institute of Engineers * 1938 Fellow,

* 1939

Bigsby Medal The Bigsby Medal is a medal of the Geological Society of London established by John Jeremiah Bigsby. It is awarded for the study of American geology. Recipients SourcThe Geological Society See also * List of geology awards * Prizes named after ...

, Geological Society of London * 1942

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

* 1951

KBE KBE may refer to: * Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, post-nominal letters * Knowledge-based engineering Knowledge-based engineering (KBE) is the application of knowledge-based systems technology to the domain o ...

* 1955 Wollaston Medal, Geological Society of London He received four honorary LL.D. degrees, from

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

Rhodes Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

, and

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

Works

* ''An Introduction to Geology. London'', Thos. Murby & Co, 1938. * ''The Scenery of England and Wales''. London, Gollancz, 1938. Subsequently revised by Whittow J. B. & Hardy J. R. and republished as: * ''Geology and Scenery in England and Wales''. Harmondsworth, Penguin books, 1971.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trueman, A. E. 1894 births 1956 deaths Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows of the Geological Society of London Wollaston Medal winners Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Alumni of the University of Nottingham Academics of Cardiff University Academics of Swansea University Academics of the University of Bristol Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh People educated at Nottingham High Pavement Grammar School People from Nottingham 20th-century British geologists