William Smith.

William Smith (March 23, 1769–August 28, 1839) was an English geologist, credited with creating the first nationwide geologic map. He is known as the "Father of English Geology", however recognition was slow in coming. His work was plagiarised, he was financially ruined, and he spent time in debtors' prison. The genteel practitioners of the new science of geology and founders of the geological societies snubbed the low-born Smith. It was only much later in his life that Smith received recognition for his accomplishments. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x1355, 118 KB) William Smith, from here File links The following pages link to this file: William Smith (geologist) ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x1355, 118 KB) William Smith, from here File links The following pages link to this file: William Smith (geologist) ... March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap years). ... 1769 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... 1839 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages None official English de facto Capital None official London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001... A geologist is a contributor to the science of geology, studying the physical structure and processes of the Earth. ... A geologic map is a special-purpose map made for the purpose of showing subsurface geological features. ... Geology (from Greek γη- (ge-, the earth) and λογος (logos, word, reason)) is the science and study of the Earth, its composition, structure, physical properties, history and the processes that shape it. ... A debtors prison is a prison for people unable to pay a debt to another. ... Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions between individuals or groups in societies or cultures. ...

Early life

Smith was born in the village of Churchill, Oxfordshire. In 1787, he found work as an assistant for Edward Webb of Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, a surveyor. He was quick to learn, and soon became proficient at the trade. In 1791, he travelled to Somerset to make a valuation survey of an estate. He stayed there for the next eight years, working first for Webb and later for the Somersetshire Coal Canal Company. All Saints Church, Churchill Churchill is a small and picturesque Cotswold village in north-west Oxfordshire, England, about three miles south-west of Chipping Norton. ... 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Map sources for Stow-on-the-Wold at grid reference SP195255 An English Gloucestershire market town, Stow-on-the-Wold sits on top of a 800 foot tall hill, at the convergence of a number of roads through the Cotswolds. ... Gloucestershire (pronounced ; GLOSS-ter-sher) is a county in South West England. ... 1791 (MDCCXCI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 11-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Somerset is a county in the south-west of England. ... The Somerset Coal Canal (otherwise the Somersetshire Coal Canal) was a narrow canal from Paulton to Limpley Stoke where it joined the Kennet and Avon Canal so giving ready access from the coal fields of Somerset, which at their peak contained 80 collieries, to London. ...

Life's work

Smith worked at one of the estate's older mines, the Mearns Pit at High Littleton. As he observed the rock layers, or strata, at the pit he realised that they were arranged in a predictable pattern, and that the various strata could always be found in the same relative positions. Additionally, each particular stratum could be identified by the fossils it contained, and the same succession of fossil groups from older to younger rocks could be found in many parts of England. This gave Smith a testable hypothesis, which he termed the principle of faunal succession, and he began his search to determine if the relationships between the strata and their characteristics were consistent throughout the country. During subsequent travels, first as a surveyor (appointed by noted engineer John Rennie) for the canal company until 1799 when he was dismissed, and later, he was continually taking samples and mapping the locations of the various strata. This would earn him the name "Strata Smith". High Littleton (Grid reference ST645583) and its hamlet Hallatrow (Grid reference ST638571) are located in the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and straddle both the A39 and A37, 8 miles from Bath, 12 miles from Wells and 10 miles from Bristol. ... This article is about the geologic use of the term, for other uses see Stratum (disambiguation) Interstate road cut through limestone and shale strata in eastern Tennessee In geology and related fields, a stratum (plural: strata) is a layer of rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguishes it... Look up engineer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... John Rennie (7 June 1761 in East Linton, Scotland - 4 October 1821) was a civil engineer, constructing many bridges, canals, and docks. ... 1799 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Publication and disappointment

In 1799 Smith produced the first large scale geologic map of the area around Bath, Somerset. 1799 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... For alternate meanings see Bath (disambiguation) Palladian Pulteney Bridge and the weir at Bath Bath is a city in south-west England, most famous for its baths fed by three hot springs. ...

In 1815 he published the first ever geological map of any country. It covered the whole of England and Wales. Conventional symbols were used to mark canals, tunnels, tramways and roads, collieries, lead, copper and tin mines, together with salt and alum works. the various geological types were indicated by different colours; the maps were hand coloured. The map is remarkably close to modern geological maps of England. A geologic map is a special-purpose map made for the purpose of showing subsurface geological features. ...

In 1817 he drew a remarkable geological section from Snowdon to London. Unfortunately, his maps were soon plagiarised and sold for prices lower than he was asking. He went into debt and finally became bankrupt. Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty, the unacknowledged use of another persons idea(s), information, language or writing. ...

On August 31, 1819 Smith was released from King's Bench Prison in London, a debtors' prison. He returned to his home of fourteen years at 15 Buckingham Street to find a bailiff at the door and his home and property seized. Smith then worked as an itinerent surveyor for many years until one of his employers, Sir John Johnstone, recognised him and took steps to gain for him the respect he deserved. August 31 is the 243rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (244th in leap years), with 122 days remaining. ... 1819 common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... One of the ancient courts of England, the Kings Bench (or Queens Bench when the monarch is female) is now a division of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. ... This article is about the British city. ...

Later recognition

It was not until February 1831 that the Geological Society of London conferred on Smith the first Wollaston medal in recognition of his achievement. It was on this occasion that the President, Adam Sedgwick, referred to Smith as "the Father of English Geology". Smith travelled to Dublin with the British Association in 1835, and there totally unexpectedly received an honorary Doctorate of Laws (LL.D.) from Trinity College. In 1838 he was appointed as one of the commissioners to select building-stone for the new Palace of Westminster. He died in Northampton, and is buried in an unmarked grave a few feet from the west tower of St Peter's Church, Marefair. 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in England with the aim of investigating the mineral structure of the Earth. It is the oldest national geological society in the world and the largest in Europe with over 9000 Fellows entitled to the postnominal FGS - over 2000 of... The Wollaston Medal is a scientific award for geology, the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London. ... Adam Sedgwick Adam Sedgwick (March 22, 1785–January 27, 1873) was one of the founders of modern geology. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ... The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin or more commonly Trinity College, Dublin was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, and is the only constituent college of the University of Dublin, Irelands oldest university. ... | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Palace of Westminster, known also as the Houses of Parliament, is where the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (the House of Lords and the House of Commons) conduct their sittings. ... Northampton Guildhall, built 1861-4, E.W. Godwin, architect Northampton is a large market town and a local government district in central England upon the River Nene, and the county town of Northamptonshire. ...

Legacy

• Geological Surveys around the world owe a debt to his work.
• A crater on Mars is named after him.
• The Geological Society of London presents an annual lecture in his honour.

The British Geological Survey is a publicly-funded body which aims to advance geoscientific knowledge of the United Kingdom landmass and its continental shelf by means of systematic surveying, monitoring and research. ... Tycho crater on Earths moon. ... Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the solar system, named after the Roman god of war (the counterpart of the Greek Ares), on account of its blood red color as viewed in the night sky. ...

References

• Strata by John L Morton, New Edition, (2004, Brocken Spectre Publishing, Horsham) ISBN 0-9546829-1-2
• The Map That Changed the World, a biography of William Smith by Simon Winchester ISBN 0-140-28039-1
• Memoirs of William Smith by John Phillips, 1844, John Murray, London [republished with additional material by Hugh Torrens, 2003, Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Bath ISBN 0-9544-9410-5].

Simon Winchester, OBE (born September 28, 1944) is a British author and journalist. ... For other people with this name, see John Phillips John Phillips (December 25, 1800 – April 24, 1874) was an English geologist. ...

See also

• Geology of the United Kingdom