Richard Nicholls Worth
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Richard Nicholls Worth (19 July 1837− 3 July 1896) an English
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, althoug ...
and historian of the City of Plymouth in Devon.


Life

Worth was apprenticed in 1851 at the ''Devonport and Plymouth Telegraph'', becoming a member of the staff in 1858. In 1863 he joined the ''
Western Morning News The ''Western Morning News'' is a daily regional newspaper founded in 1860, and covering the West Country including Devon, Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Somerset and Dorset in the South West of England. Organisation The ''Western M ...
'', remaining with it till 1865. In 1866 and the following year he lived at Newcastle upon Tyne as editor of the ''Northern Daily Express'', but, finding the climate too trying, rejoined the staff of the ''Western Morning News'' in 1867. In 1877 he became associated with Messrs. Brendon & Son, printers and publishers, of Plymouth, receiving a testimonial of plate by public subscription in Devon and Cornwall for his services as a
journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...
. In this business he remained till his death, though he continued to contribute occasionally, not only to the local press but also to ''Nature'', the ''Academy'', and other periodicals. Worth devoted his spare time to investigating the history and geology of the west of England. Patient and exact, dreading hasty theorising, he did much for the history, archaeology, and geology of Devon and Cornwall. He was twice president of the Plymouth Association, and in 1891 of the
Devonshire Association The Devonshire Association (DA) is a learned society founded in 1862 by William Pengelly and modelled on the British Association, but concentrating on research subjects linked to Devon in the fields of science, literature and the arts. History ...
. A portrait in oils, painted by Lane in 1873, is in possession of the family.


Family

Worth was the eldest son of Richard Worth, a builder of Devonport, by his wife Eliza, daughter of Richard Nicholls of the same place. He married, 22 March 1860, at
Stoke Damerel Stoke, also referred to by its earlier name of Stoke Damerel, is a parish, that was once part of the historical Devonport, England; this was prior to 1914. In 1914, Devonport and Plymouth amalgamated with Stonehouse: the new town took the nam ...
, Devonshire, Lydia Amelia, daughter of Richard Davies of the Dockyard, Devonport. He died suddenly at
Shaugh Prior Shaugh Prior is a village and civil parish on the south-western side of Dartmoor in the county of Devon, England. It is situated about 8 miles north-east of the historic centre of the city of Plymouth. In 2001 its population was 751. The parish ...
, where he was temporarily resident, on 3 July 1896, and was buried in the village churchyard. One son and one daughter survived him. His son
Richard Hansford Worth Richard Hansford Worth (5 November 1868 – 11 November 1950) of Plymouth, Devon was a civil engineer, geologist, archaeologist and writer on Dartmoor. He was the author of numerous papers published by the Devonshire Association some of which bec ...
followed in his father's footsteps becoming a renowned author on
Dartmoor Dartmoor is an upland area in southern Devon, England. The moorland and surrounding land has been protected by National Park status since 1951. Dartmoor National Park covers . The granite which forms the uplands dates from the Carboniferous P ...
.


Works

Altogether Worth published about 140 papers between 1869 and his death, mostly historical, and in the proceedings of local societies; some of the scientific papers appeared in the ''Quarterly Journal'' of the Geological Society of London, of which he became a fellow in 1875. Besides a series of guide-books and several smaller works, he was the author of: *''History of the Town and Borough of Devonport'', Plymouth, 1870. *''History of Plymouth, From the Earliest Period to the Present Time'', Plymouth, 1871
2nd edit. 1873
3rd edit. 1890. *''The Three Towns Bibliotheca'' or Plymouth, Devonport, and Stonehouse 1871. *''The West Country Garland, selected from the Writings of the Poets of Devon and Cornwall'', Plymouth, 1878. *''A History of Devonshire: With Sketches of Its Leading Worthies'', Plymouth, 1895. *''The Common Seals of Devon and Cornwall''.As mentioned on title page of his ''History of Plymouth'', 2nd ed. *''Historical Notes Concerning the Progress of Mining Skills in Cornwall and Devon''.


References

*Obituary notice Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc. 1897, Proc. Ixii *Trans. Devonshire Assoc. xxviii. (1896), p. 52 *Trans. Plymouth Institution and Devon and Cornwall Nat. Hist. Soc. 1895−6 *Bibliotheca Cornubiensis, ii. 907 *Collectanea Cornubiensia, p. 1295 *Information from his son, R. G. Hansford Worth, esq. {{DEFAULTSORT:Worth, Richard 1837 births 1896 deaths 19th-century British geologists Writers from Devonport, Plymouth Historians of Devon Scientists from Plymouth, Devon