William Whitaker (4 May 1836 in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 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 dow ...
– 15 January 1925 in
Croydon
Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensi ...
) was a British geologist.
Early life
He was educated at
St Albans School and
University College, London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = ...
, where he gained a degree in
chemistry in 1855.
Career
He became a geologist, specializing initially in water surveying and
map
A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes.
Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Although ...
ping. His thorough research, wide knowledge, and his numerous publications, especially his ''The Geology of London and of Part of the Thames Valley'' (1889) has led some to call him “the father of English
hydrogeology
Hydrogeology (''hydro-'' meaning water, and ''-geology'' meaning the study of the Earth) is the area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in the soil and rocks of the Earth's crust (commonly in aqui ...
”. He retired in 1896 but continued to work as a water engineer.
Honours
He was elected fellow of the
Geological Society in 1859, and
FRS in 1883. He was president of numerous societies, including both the
Geologists’ Association and the Geological Society, and was a recipient of the latter’s
Murchison Medal
The Murchison Medal is an academic award established by Roderick Murchison, who died in 1871. First awarded in 1873, it is normally given to people who have made a significant contribution to geology by means of a substantial body of research and ...
in 1886 and
Wollaston Medal
The Wollaston Medal is a scientific award for geology, the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London.
The medal is named after William Hyde Wollaston, and was first awarded in 1831. It was originally made of gold (1831–1845), ...
in 1923. He died in
Croydon
Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensi ...
, Surrey.
[Transactions of the Institution of Mining Engineers. Vol. LXIX.- 1924-1925, London 1925, page 200]
Further readingOxford Dictionary of National Bibliography
References
* Entry in
Who's Who
* W. H. George: entry in
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
External links
*
Alumni of University College London
19th-century British geologists
1836 births
1925 deaths
People from St Albans
Wollaston Medal winners
Fellows of the Royal Society
Fellows of the Geological Society of London
People educated at St Albans School, Hertfordshire
Artists' Rifles soldiers
Presidents of the Geologists' Association
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