Organised by:
Yorkshire Philosophical Society, William Smith Bicentenary
Venue:
Tempest Anderson Hall, Yorkshire Museum, York
Event status:
EVENT CLOSED
Speaker: John Henry, Chair of the History of Geology Group of the Geological Society
Start time: 7.30pm
William Smith, a self taught geologist, produced the first geological map of a country 200 years ago. This 8×6 foot map, ‘A Delineation of the Strata of England and Wales with part of Scotland’, compares remarkably well with modern geological maps.
Smith understood the importance of geology to the economy and applied to prospecting for coal, minerals and water, to construction of canals and sea defences, and to land improvement for agriculture. For his map and his work he is known as the Father of English Geology.
Smith lived the last 15 years of his life near and in Scarborough, where he inspired the design of the Rotunda Museum, the first geological museum in the world. In 1825 he gave the first series of public lectures on geology at the invitation of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, which will host a lecture entitled ‘William Smith, Father of English Geology; his Maps’ by John Henry, Chair of the History of Geology Group of the Geological Society.
As well as his iconic map of 1815, Smith produced a rare 4 sheet geological map of Yorkshire which will be on display at this lecture.
More events celebrating the Bicentenary of William Smith's map