Thomas George Bonney

Thomas George Bonney
Bonney in 1909
Born(1833-07-27)27 July 1833
Rugeley, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom
Died10 December 1923(1923-12-10) (aged 90)
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
Signature

Thomas George Bonney FRS (27 July 1833 – 10 December 1923) was an English geologist, president of the Geological Society of London.[1]

Career

Bonney was born in Rugeley, Staffordshire, England, the eldest son of the Reverend Thomas Bonney, headmaster of Rugeley Grammar School.[2] His uncle was the Australian explorer Charles Bonney, and one of his brothers, Frederic Bonney, is remembered for his photography and ethnology in Australia.[3] Thomas was educated at Uppingham School and St John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated as 12th wrangler in 1856, and was ordained in the following year.[2]

From 1856 to 1861 he was mathematical master at Westminster School, and he pursued geology only as a recreational activity, mainly in Alpine regions. In 1868 he was appointed tutor at St John's College, Cambridge and lecturer in geology. His attention was specially directed to the study of the igneous and metamorphic rocks in Alpine regions and in various parts of England (e.g.: the Lizard in Cornwall, at Salcombe and in the Charnwood Forest), Wales and the Scottish Highlands.

From 1877 to 1901 he was professor of geology in University College London. He became secretary and later president of the Geological Society of London (1884–1886), and also a fellow; secretary of the British Association (1881–1885) and its president[4] for the year 1910–1911; president of the Mineralogical Society. He was president of the Alpine Club, 1881–1883. In 1887, Bonney was appointed honorary canon of Manchester.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 6 June 1878.[5] He died in Cambridge on 10 December 1923. Lake Bonney in Antarctica is named after him.

Publications

His purely scientific works are:

  • Cambridgeshire Geology (1875)
  • The Story of our Planet (1893)
  • Charles Lyell and Modern Geology (1895)
  • Ice Work, Past and Present (1896)
  • Volcanoes (1899).
  • Bonney, T. G. The structure of the earth. London: T. C. & E. C. Jack. OCLC 18582859. Retrieved 22 September 2008.

In addition to many papers published in the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society and Geological Magazine, he wrote several popular works on Alpine Regions, on English and Welsh scenery, as well as on theological subjects.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bonney, Rev. Thomas George". Who's Who: 250. 1919.
  2. ^ a b "Bonney, Thomas George (BNY852TG)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  3. ^ "History of Colton House". coltonhouse.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  4. ^ Presidential Address to the British Association Meeting, held at Sheffield in 1910
  5. ^ The Royal Society (8 June 1878). "Bonney; Thomas George (1833 - 1923)". Fellows. The Royal Society. Retrieved 28 February 2011. Election Date: 06/06/1878.[permanent dead link‍]