Edward William Binney
Encyclopedia
Edward William Binney FRS (1812–1882) was an English geologist.
Edward William Binney was born at Morton
, in Nottinghamshire
in 1812, and educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Gainsborough
. He was articled to a solicitor
in Chesterfield
, and in 1836 settled at Manchester
. He retired soon afterwards from legal practice and gave his chief attention to geological pursuits.
He assisted in 1838 in founding the Manchester Geological Society, of which he was then chosen one of the honorary secretaries; he was elected president in 1857, and again in 1865. He was also successively secretary and president of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society
. Working especially at the Carboniferous
and Permian
rocks of the north of England, he studied also the Drift deposits of Lancashire
, which resulted in him and Joseph Dalton Hooker
finding the first coal ball
s, and made himself familiar with the geology of the country around Manchester. On the Coal Measures
in particular he became an acknowledged authority, and his Observations on the Structure of Fossil Plants found in the Carboniferous Strata (1868–1875) formed one of the monographs of the Palaeontographical Society. His large collection of fossil
s was placed in Owens College.
Binney was part of a close Manchester social circle that included James Prescott Joule
, William Sturgeon
, John Davies
and John Leigh.
He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
in 1856 and died at Manchester.
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Edward William Binney was born at Morton
Morton, Nottinghamshire
Morton is a village in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located 1 mile west of Fiskerton, and is part of the civil parish of Fiskerton cum Morton.The parish church of St Denis was built in 1756....
, in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
in 1812, and educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Gainsborough
Queen Elizabeth's High School
Queen Elizabeth's High School is an 11-18 co-educational selective state grammar school, based in Gainsborough in western Lincolnshire, England.The school is selective; pupils wishing to enter at age 11 must sit and pass the Eleven Plus exam prior to entry...
. He was articled to a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
, and in 1836 settled at Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He retired soon afterwards from legal practice and gave his chief attention to geological pursuits.
He assisted in 1838 in founding the Manchester Geological Society, of which he was then chosen one of the honorary secretaries; he was elected president in 1857, and again in 1865. He was also successively secretary and president of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society
Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society
The Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, popularly known as the Lit & Phil, is a learned society in Manchester, England.Established in 1781 as the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester, by Thomas Percival, Thomas Barnes and Thomas Henry, other prominent members have included...
. Working especially at the Carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
and Permian
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
rocks of the north of England, he studied also the Drift deposits of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, which resulted in him and Joseph Dalton Hooker
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker OM, GCSI, CB, MD, FRS was one of the greatest British botanists and explorers of the 19th century. Hooker was a founder of geographical botany, and Charles Darwin's closest friend...
finding the first coal ball
Coal ball
Coal balls, despite their name, are calcium-rich masses of permineralised life forms, generally having a round shape. Coal balls were formed roughly , during the Carboniferous Period...
s, and made himself familiar with the geology of the country around Manchester. On the Coal Measures
Coal Measures
The Coal Measures is a lithostratigraphical term for the coal-bearing part of the Upper Carboniferous System. It represents the remains of fluvio-deltaic sediment, and consists mainly of clastic rocks interstratified with the beds of coal...
in particular he became an acknowledged authority, and his Observations on the Structure of Fossil Plants found in the Carboniferous Strata (1868–1875) formed one of the monographs of the Palaeontographical Society. His large collection of fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s was placed in Owens College.
Binney was part of a close Manchester social circle that included James Prescott Joule
James Prescott Joule
James Prescott Joule FRS was an English physicist and brewer, born in Salford, Lancashire. Joule studied the nature of heat, and discovered its relationship to mechanical work . This led to the theory of conservation of energy, which led to the development of the first law of thermodynamics. The...
, William Sturgeon
William Sturgeon
William Sturgeon was an English physicist and inventor who made the first electromagnets, and invented the first practical English electric motor.-Early Life :...
, John Davies
John Davies (lecturer)
John Davies or Davis was an English scientist in Victorian Manchester. He was a lecturer and private tutor who played an important role in the administration of some of the city's learned societies.-Career:...
and John Leigh.
He was elected a 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 1856 and died at Manchester.
Further reading
- Secord, A. "Binney, Edward William (1812–1881)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, accessed 10 August 2007
- [Anon.] (1911) "Edward William Binney", Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Obituaries:
- Manchester Examiner and Times, 21 December 1881
- Manchester Guardian, 22 December 1881
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