Trevor David Ford, OBE (19 April 1925 – 22 February 2017) was an English geologist, specialising in speleology, and an author. He was a Senior Lecturer in the Geology Department of the University of Leicester, and also Associate Dean of Science. He served in WWII as a Stores Assistant in the Navy. Ford made a detailed study of

Precambrian The Precambrian (or Pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pꞒ, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of the ...

rocks and fossils, and was instrumental in the recognition of the Precambrian fossil ''

Charnia masoni ''Charnia'' is a genus of frond-like lifeforms belonging to the Ediacaran biota with segmented, leaf-like ridges branching alternately to the right and left from a zig-zag medial suture (thus exhibiting glide reflection, or opposite isometry). T ...

'', discovered in

Charnwood Forest Charnwood Forest is a hilly tract in north-western Leicestershire, England, bounded by Leicester, Loughborough and Coalville. The area is undulating, rocky and picturesque, with barren areas. It also has some extensive tracts of woodland; i ...

by Roger Mason. In doing so, he was honoured by having the species of the genus

Hylaecullulus ''Hylaecullulus fordi'' is a species of Ediacaran petalonamid from the Charnwood Forest of Leicestershire, England that serves as an important rangeomorph because of its multifoliate anatomy, known from its fossils. Its overall body plan is si ...

be named after him, with the species being described with the name ''Hylaecullulus fordi''. He wrote several popular introductions to Peak District geology, a definitive study of the local fluorite Blue John, as well as numerous cave guides. He served as the editor of ''Transactions of the British Cave Research Association'', renamed ''Cave Science'' (later ''

Cave & Karst Science The British Cave Research Association (BCRA) is a speleological organisation in the United Kingdom. Its object is to promote the study of caves and associated phenomena, and it attains this by supporting cave and karst research, encouraging origi ...

''), from 1973 until 1993. Ford was awarded the

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in 1997 for services to geology and cave science. He was a Distinguished Life Vice President of the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society. He died on 22 February 2017.Trevor David Ford 1925 - 2017
. ''The Geological Society of London''. Retrieved 1 November 2017.

Selected publications

Books *Ford TD. ''Rocks and Scenery of the Peak District'' (Landmark Publishing; 2002) () *Ford TD, Rieuwerts JH, eds. ''Lead Mining in the Peak District'' (Ashbourne and Landmark Publishing for the Peak District Mines Historical Society; 2000) (4th edn) () *Ford TD. ''Derbyshire Blue John'' (Landmark Publishing; 2000) () *Ford TD, ed. ''Limestones and Caves of Wales'' (Cambridge University Press; 1989) () *Ford TD, Gill DW. ''Caves of Derbyshire'' (Dalesman; 1984) () *Ford TD, ed. ''Limestones and Caves of the Peak District'' (Geo-Books; 1977) Pamphlets *Ford T. ''Sediments in Caves''; ''BCRA Cave Studies Series'' 9 (BCRA; 2001) () *Gunn J, Ford T. ''Caves and Karst of the Peak District''; ''BCRA Cave Studies Series'' 3 (BCRA; 1992) () Research papers *Vidal G, Ford TD (1985). Microbiotas from the late proterozoic chuar group (northern Arizona) and uinta mountain group (Utah) and their chronostratigraphic implications. '' Precambrian Research'' 28: 349–89 *Schopf JW, Ford TD, Breed WJ (1973). Microorganisms from the Late Precambrian of the Grand Canyon, Arizona. '' Science'' 179: 1319–21 *Ford TD (1958). Pre-Cambrian fossils from Charnwood Forest. ''

Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society The Yorkshire Geological Society is a learned, professional and educational charity devoted to the earth sciences, founded in 1837. Its work is centred on the geology of Yorkshire, and the north of England more generally, ranging from Northumbria ...

'', 31: 211–217

References

British speleologists English geologists Academics of the University of Leicester 1925 births 2017 deaths Officers of the Order of the British Empire {{UK-geologist-stub