William Whitaker (geologist)

William Whitaker
William Whitaker
Born	4 May 1836; London
Died	15 January 1925; Croydon
Nationality	British
Alma mater	University College, London
Known for	Hydrogeology
Spouse	Mary Whitaker (Nee Keogh)
Awards	Murchison Medal (1886); Prestwich Medal (1906); Wollaston Medal (1923)
	Scientific career
Fields	Geologist

William Whitaker (4 May 1836 in London^[1] – 15 January 1925 in Croydon) was a British geologist.

Early life

He was educated at St Albans School and University College, London, where he attained a degree in chemistry in 1855.

Career

He became a geologist, specializing initially in water surveying and mapping. His thorough research, wide knowledge, and his numerous publications, especially his book "The Geology of London and of Part of the Thames Valley" (1889) has led some to call him “the father of English hydrogeology”. He retired in 1896 but continued to work as a water engineer.

... The long lines of escarpment which stretch across several parts of England were formerly considered to be undoubtedly ancient coast-lines; but now we know that they stand up above the general surface merely from resisting air, rain and frost better than the adjoining formations. It has rarely been the good fortune of a geologist to bring conviction to the minds of his fellow-workers on a disputed point by a single memoir; but Mr. Whitaker, of the Geological Survey of England, was so fortunate when, in 1867, he published his paper "On sub-aerial Denudation, and on Cliffs and Escarpments of the Chalk." ....^[2]

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 in 1886 and Wollaston Medal in 1923. He died in Croydon, Surrey.^[3]

References

^ Addison, Henry Robert; Oakes, Charles Henry; Lawson, William John; Sladen, Douglas Brooke Wheelton (1905). "WHITAKER, William". Who's Who. Vol. 57. p. 1719.
^ Darwin, Charles (1896). The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms, with observations on their habits. New York: D. Appleton & Co. p. 232.
^ Transactions of the Institution of Mining Engineers. Vol. LXIX.- 1924-1925, London 1925, page 200

Entry in Who's Who
W. H. George: entry in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

External links

Works by or about William Whitaker at Wikisource

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[1] Addison, Henry Robert; Oakes, Charles Henry; Lawson, William John; Sladen, Douglas Brooke Wheelton (1905). "WHITAKER, William". Who's Who. Vol. 57. p. 1719.

[2] Darwin, Charles (1896). The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms, with observations on their habits. New York: D. Appleton & Co. p. 232.

[3] Transactions of the Institution of Mining Engineers. Vol. LXIX.- 1924-1925, London 1925, page 200

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v t e Presidents of the Geological Society of London
19th century	George Bellas Greenough Henry Grey Bennet William Blake John MacCulloch George Bellas Greenough Earl Compton William Babington William Buckland John Bostock William Fitton Adam Sedgwick Roderick Murchison George Bellas Greenough Charles Lyell William Whewell William Buckland Roderick Murchison Henry Warburton Leonard Horner Henry De la Beche William Hopkins Edward Forbes William Hamilton Daniel Sharpe Joseph Ellison Portlock John Phillips Leonard Horner Andrew Crombie Ramsay William Hamilton Warington Wilkinson Smyth Thomas Henry Huxley Joseph Prestwich George Douglas Campbell John Evans Peter Martin Duncan Henry Clifton Sorby Robert Etheridge John Whitaker Hulke Thomas Bonney John Wesley Judd William Blanford Archibald Geikie Wilfred Hudleston Henry Woodward Henry Hicks William Whitaker
20th century	Jethro Teall Charles Lapworth John Marr Archibald Geikie William Sollas William Watts Aubrey Strahan Arthur Smith Woodward Alfred Harker George Lamplugh Richard Oldham Albert Seward John Evans Francis Bather John Gregory Edmund Garwood Thomas Holland John Green Owen Thomas Jones Henry Hurd Swinnerton Percy Boswell Herbert Leader Hawkins William Fearnsides Arthur Trueman Herbert Harold Read Cecil Tilley Owen Thomas Jones George Lees William King Walter Campbell Smith Leonard Hawkes James Stubblefield Sydney Hollingworth Oliver Bulman Frederick Shotton Kingsley Dunham Neville George William Alexander Deer Thomas Westoll Percy Kent Wallace Pitcher Percival Allen Howel Francis Janet Watson Charles Holland Bernard Leake Derek Blundell Anthony Harris Charles Curtis R. S. J. Sparks Richard Hardman Robin Cocks
21st century	Ronald Oxburgh Mark Moody-Stuart Peter Styles Richard Fortey Lynne Frostick

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