Alfred Richard Cecil Selwyn
Encyclopedia
Alfred Richard Cecil Selwyn, CMG, LL.D
, FRS, FGS
(26 July 1824 – 19 October 1902) was a British
geologist
, director of the Geological Survey of Victoria from 1852–1869, director of Geological Survey of Canada
1869–1894 and President of the Royal Society of Canada
1895-1896.
, Somerset
, England
, the son of the Rev. Townshend Selwyn (Canon of Gloucester Cathedral
) and his wife, Charlotte Sophia, daughter of Lord George Murray, bishop of St David's, Wales
, and granddaughter of the fourth Duke of Athol.
Educated by private tutors at home and afterwards in Switzerland
, Selwyn there became interested in geology, and in 1845 he joined the staff of the Geological Survey of Great Britain under Sir Henry De la Beche
and Sir A. C. Ramsay. Selwyn was actively engaged in the survey of North Wales
and bordering portions of Shropshire
, and a series of splendid geological maps resulted from his joint work with Ramsay and J. B. Jukes, earning a great commendation from Ramsay. Selwyn was promoted to geologist on 1 January 1848.
, where he built up an excellent staff including Richard Daintree
, C. D. H. Aplin, Charles Smith Wilkinson
, Reginald Murray
, Edward John Dunn
, Henry Yorke Lyell Brown
and Robert Etheridge, Junior
, with Sir Frederick McCoy
as palaeontologist. He was a strict disciplinarian and from the beginning set up a very high standard of work in his department. During his 17 years as director over 60 geological maps were issued which were among the best of their period; they were models of accuracy which established a tradition of geological mapping in Australia. Selwyn was well qualified to analyse the Silurian
strata. He was also responsible for several reports on the geology of Victoria, and added much to the knowledge of gold-bearing rocks. Selwyn discovered the Caledonian goldfield near Melbourne
in 1854 and in the following year reported on coal seams in Tasmania
, until in 1869 the Colonial Legislature brought the Survey to an abrupt termination on economic grounds.
had just retired from the office of director of the Geological Survey of Canada
, and Selwyn was appointed his successor and took up his duties on 1 December 1869. There was a huge area of land to be covered, and though the staff was increased, it was inadequate.
Selwyn's period of 25 years as director was full of activity and a large amount of work was done. In 1870 he made a valuable report on the goldfields of Nova Scotia
, in the following year he was on the other side of Canada exploring in British Columbia
, and in the next year he was working between Lake Superior
and Winnipeg
. Selwyn kept in mind that however interesting problems might be from a scientific point of view, a government survey must be able to collect the facts and bring them to bear on questions of public utility. Every year he presented a Summary of the geological investigations made by his staff. He devoted particular attention to the Pre-Cambrian
rocks of Quebec
.
In 1874 Selwyn was elected fellow of the Royal Society
, in 1876 he was awarded the Murchison Medal
of the Geological Society of London
, and he was created CMG
in 1886 for his distinguished work as assistant to the Canadian Commissioners at the exhibitions in Philadelphia (1876), Paris (1878) and London (1886). Selwyn was awarded the Clarke Medal
by the Royal Society of New South Wales
in 1884.
Selwyn retired in 1894 to Vancouver
in British Columbia
, where he died on 19 October 1902. Selwyn's Rock at Inman Valley
in South Australia
, Selwyn Range
in the Canadian Rockies and Selwyn Street in Hackett
, a suburb of the Australian Capital Territory
are named after him.
Legum Doctor
Legum Doctor is a doctorate-level academic degree in law, or an honorary doctorate, depending on the jurisdiction. The double L in the abbreviation refers to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both Canon Law and Civil Law, the double L indicating the plural, Doctor of both...
, FRS, FGS
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
(26 July 1824 – 19 October 1902) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
, director of the Geological Survey of Victoria from 1852–1869, director of Geological Survey of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
1869–1894 and President of the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
1895-1896.
Early life
Selwyn was born in KilmingtonKilmington, Wiltshire
Kilmington is a village and civil parish in the extreme west of Wiltshire, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Norton Ferris. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 292.It lies on the northern edge of the ancient Selwood Forest...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of the Rev. Townshend Selwyn (Canon of Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the river. It originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter .-Foundations:The foundations of the present...
) and his wife, Charlotte Sophia, daughter of Lord George Murray, bishop of St David's, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and granddaughter of the fourth Duke of Athol.
Educated by private tutors at home and afterwards in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Selwyn there became interested in geology, and in 1845 he joined the staff of the Geological Survey of Great Britain under Sir Henry De la Beche
Henry De la Beche
Sir Henry Thomas De la Beche FRS was an English geologist and palaeontologist who helped pioneer early geological survey methods.-Biography:...
and Sir A. C. Ramsay. Selwyn was actively engaged in the survey of North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
and bordering portions of Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, and a series of splendid geological maps resulted from his joint work with Ramsay and J. B. Jukes, earning a great commendation from Ramsay. Selwyn was promoted to geologist on 1 January 1848.
Australia
In 1852 the Colonial Office appointed Selwyn director of the Geological Survey of Victoria of the recently founded colony of VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, where he built up an excellent staff including Richard Daintree
Richard Daintree
Richard Daintree was a pioneering Australian geologist and photographer. In particular, Daintree was the first Government geologist for North Queensland discovering gold fields and coal seams for future exploitation...
, C. D. H. Aplin, Charles Smith Wilkinson
Charles Smith Wilkinson
Charles Smith Wilkinson was an Australian geologist. He became geological surveyor in charge in New South Wales in 1875 and was president of the Royal Society of New South Wales in 1887.-Early life:...
, Reginald Murray
Reginald Augustus Frederick Murray
Reginald Augustus Frederick Murray was an Australian geologist.Murray was born in Frimley, Surrey, England, the eldest child of Captain Virginius Murray and his wife Elizabeth Alicia, née Poitier. He was brought to Australia in 1855 by his mother in 1855, three years after his father had...
, Edward John Dunn
Edward John Dunn
Edward John Dunn was an Australian geologist, winner of the 1905 Murchison Medal.-Early life:Dunn was born at Bedminster near Bristol, England, the son of Edward Herbert Dunn and his wife Betsy, née Robinson. The family emigrated to New South Wales in 1849, initially living near Goulburn, New...
, Henry Yorke Lyell Brown
Henry Yorke Lyell Brown
Henry Yorke Lyell Brown was an Australian geologist.Brown was born at Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada, the son of Richard Brown, also a geologist, and his wife Sibella, née Barrington. He was educated at King's College, Windsor, Nova Scotia, and matriculated in 1862. He then studied under T. H...
and Robert Etheridge, Junior
Robert Etheridge, Junior
Robert Etheridge was a British palaeontologist who made important contributions to the Australian Museum.Etheridge was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, the only son of the palaeontologist, Robert Etheridge and his wife Martha, née Smith...
, with Sir Frederick McCoy
Frederick McCoy
Sir Frederick McCoy, KCMG, FRS was an Irish palaeontologist and museum administrator, active in Australia.-Early life:McCoy was the son of Dr Simon McCoy, M.D. and was born in Dublin; some sources have his year of birth as 1823, but 1817 is the most likely...
as palaeontologist. He was a strict disciplinarian and from the beginning set up a very high standard of work in his department. During his 17 years as director over 60 geological maps were issued which were among the best of their period; they were models of accuracy which established a tradition of geological mapping in Australia. Selwyn was well qualified to analyse the Silurian
Silurian
The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician Period, about 443.7 ± 1.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Devonian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya . As with other geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period's start and end are well identified, but the...
strata. He was also responsible for several reports on the geology of Victoria, and added much to the knowledge of gold-bearing rocks. Selwyn discovered the Caledonian goldfield near Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1854 and in the following year reported on coal seams in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, until in 1869 the Colonial Legislature brought the Survey to an abrupt termination on economic grounds.
Canada
In 1869 Sir William E. LoganWilliam Edmond Logan
Sir William Edmond Logan was a Scottish-Canadian geologist.Logan was born in Montreal, Quebec, and educated at the High School in Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh . He started teaching himself geology in 1831, when he took over the running of a copper works in Swansea. He produced a...
had just retired from the office of director of the Geological Survey of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Selwyn was appointed his successor and took up his duties on 1 December 1869. There was a huge area of land to be covered, and though the staff was increased, it was inadequate.
Selwyn's period of 25 years as director was full of activity and a large amount of work was done. In 1870 he made a valuable report on the goldfields of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, in the following year he was on the other side of Canada exploring in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, and in the next year he was working between Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
and Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. Selwyn kept in mind that however interesting problems might be from a scientific point of view, a government survey must be able to collect the facts and bring them to bear on questions of public utility. Every year he presented a Summary of the geological investigations made by his staff. He devoted particular attention to the Pre-Cambrian
Cambrian
The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting from Mya ; it is succeeded by the Ordovician. Its subdivisions, and indeed its base, are somewhat in flux. The period was established by Adam Sedgwick, who named it after Cambria, the Latin name for Wales, where Britain's...
rocks of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
In 1874 Selwyn was elected fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, in 1876 he was awarded the Murchison Medal
Murchison Medal
An award established by Roderick Murchison, who died in 1871. One of the closing public acts of Murchison’s life was the founding of a chair of geology and mineralogy in the University of Edinburgh. Under his will there was established the Murchison Medal and geological fund to be awarded annually...
of the Geological Society of London
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
, and he was created CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
in 1886 for his distinguished work as assistant to the Canadian Commissioners at the exhibitions in Philadelphia (1876), Paris (1878) and London (1886). Selwyn was awarded the Clarke Medal
Clarke Medal
The Clarke Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of New South Wales for distinguished work in the Natural sciences.Named in honour of the Reverend William Branwhite Clarke, one of the founders of the Society...
by the Royal Society of New South Wales
Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821...
in 1884.
Selwyn retired in 1894 to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, where he died on 19 October 1902. Selwyn's Rock at Inman Valley
Inman Valley, South Australia
Inman Valley , is a valley, locality, and township on the Fleurieu Peninsula, around 86 km south of Adelaide. The valley is about 380 square kilometres in area...
in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, Selwyn Range
Selwyn Range (Canada)
The Selwyn Range is a mountain range in the Canadian Rockies in British Columbia. A subrange of the Park Ranges of the Continental Ranges, it is located west of Jasper National Park, east of Valemount and south of Mount Robson Provincial Park....
in the Canadian Rockies and Selwyn Street in Hackett
Hackett, Australian Capital Territory
Hackett is an Inner North suburb of Canberra. It was named after Sir John Winthrop Hackett , who was a newspaper editor and worker for the Federation of Australia. Streets in Hackett are named after scientists....
, a suburb of the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
are named after him.