Gordon Scurfield
Encyclopedia
Gordon Scurfield was an Australia
n biologist
and author
, with expertise in botany
and ecology
. He engaged in a variety of projects in several divisions of CSIRO, and published over 50 papers in journals serving fields as diverse as chemistry
, haematology and mineralogy
.
, Tyne and Wear
, England
, the youngest child of Thomas William Scurfield and Mary Ann Scurfield (née Wardle). Educated at Houghton Grammar School in Houghton-le-Spring
, Scurfield studied Science at the University of Sheffield
, where he took his Doctorate of Philosophy with a thesis
on the ash woods of Monk's Dale, Derbyshire
.
Scurfield came to Australia in 1956, to a post in the CSIRO Division of Forest Products. Based initially in Canberra
, he moved to Melbourne
in the 1960s, where he bought a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) block at Wonga Park. There his family of three daughters grew up, sharing his interest in land use and conservation
. His career as a biologist, with expertise in botany and ecology, saw him engaged in a variety of projects in several divisions of CSIRO, and publishing papers in journals serving fields as diverse as chemistry, haematology and mineralogy. His first marriage ended in divorce in 1976.
His life-long interest in maps found expression in research, done privately, into the historical geography
of northern England. Using documentary records, he tried to reconstruct samples of the landscape of the seventeenth century, portraying his results in topographic maps that were reminiscent of the early Ordnance Survey
sheets. This led him to the Map Room in the State Library of Victoria
, which has an outstanding collection of Ordnance Survey
maps. The map librarian who helped him was Judith Wells, whom he married in 1982, and who introduced him to the Australian Map Circle
.
After he took early retirement in 1985, Gordon switched his interest to the historical geography of Victoria
, and collaborated with Judith in a number of publications. Together they wrote introductions to A Chapter on Port Phillip, by Robert Hoddle
, published by Garravembi Press in 1991, and Plan of the Township of Hamilton Situate on the Grange Burn, published by Bellcourt in 1995. For the Institution of Surveyors of Australia, they wrote The Hoddle years: surveying in Victoria, 1836-1853, published in 1995.
Gordon Scurfield died in Melbourne. Early in 1996 his illness was diagnosed, and although he continued to write until a few weeks before his death, Gordon left several projects unfinished.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, with expertise in botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
and ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
. He engaged in a variety of projects in several divisions of CSIRO, and published over 50 papers in journals serving fields as diverse as chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, haematology and mineralogy
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
.
Biography
Scurfield was born in Houghton-le-SpringHoughton-le-Spring
Houghton-le-Spring is part of the City of Sunderland in the county of Tyne and Wear, North East England that has its recorded origins in Norman times. It is situated almost equidistant between the cathedral city of Durham 7 miles to the south-west and the centre of the City of Sunderland about 6...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, 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 youngest child of Thomas William Scurfield and Mary Ann Scurfield (née Wardle). Educated at Houghton Grammar School in Houghton-le-Spring
Houghton-le-Spring
Houghton-le-Spring is part of the City of Sunderland in the county of Tyne and Wear, North East England that has its recorded origins in Norman times. It is situated almost equidistant between the cathedral city of Durham 7 miles to the south-west and the centre of the City of Sunderland about 6...
, Scurfield studied Science at the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
, where he took his Doctorate of Philosophy with a thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
on the ash woods of Monk's Dale, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
.
Scurfield came to Australia in 1956, to a post in the CSIRO Division of Forest Products. Based initially in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, he moved to 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 the 1960s, where he bought a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) block at Wonga Park. There his family of three daughters grew up, sharing his interest in land use and conservation
Conservation ethic
Conservation is an ethic of resource use, allocation, and protection. Its primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural world: its, fisheries, habitats, and biological diversity. Secondary focus is on materials conservation and energy conservation, which are seen as important to...
. His career as a biologist, with expertise in botany and ecology, saw him engaged in a variety of projects in several divisions of CSIRO, and publishing papers in journals serving fields as diverse as chemistry, haematology and mineralogy. His first marriage ended in divorce in 1976.
His life-long interest in maps found expression in research, done privately, into the historical geography
Historical geography
Historical geography is the study of the human, physical, fictional, theoretical, and "real" geographies of the past. Historical geography studies a wide variety of issues and topics. A common theme is the study of the geographies of the past and how a place or region changes through time...
of northern England. Using documentary records, he tried to reconstruct samples of the landscape of the seventeenth century, portraying his results in topographic maps that were reminiscent of the early Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
sheets. This led him to the Map Room in the State Library of Victoria
State Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district...
, which has an outstanding collection of Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
maps. The map librarian who helped him was Judith Wells, whom he married in 1982, and who introduced him to the Australian Map Circle
Australian and New Zealand Map Society
The Australian and New Zealand Map Society , a society incorporated in Victoria, Australia, is a group of map producers, users and curators, which acts as a medium of communication for all those interested in maps...
.
After he took early retirement in 1985, Gordon switched his interest to the historical geography of Victoria
Victoria (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....
, and collaborated with Judith in a number of publications. Together they wrote introductions to A Chapter on Port Phillip, by Robert Hoddle
Robert Hoddle
Robert Hoddle was a surveyor of Port Phillip in the 1830s, and the creator of the Hoddle Grid, the street grid system upon which inner city Melbourne is based. He was also an accomplished artist and depicted scenes of the Port Philip region as well as New South Wales...
, published by Garravembi Press in 1991, and Plan of the Township of Hamilton Situate on the Grange Burn, published by Bellcourt in 1995. For the Institution of Surveyors of Australia, they wrote The Hoddle years: surveying in Victoria, 1836-1853, published in 1995.
Gordon Scurfield died in Melbourne. Early in 1996 his illness was diagnosed, and although he continued to write until a few weeks before his death, Gordon left several projects unfinished.
Publications
- Scurfield, G. and Scurfield, J.M. 1995, The Hoddle Years: Surveying in Victoria, 1836-1853, Institute of Surveyors Australia, Canberra, 144 pp. Call Number: 526.909945 SCU, ISBN 0 9599803 2 6
Published research papers
Gordon Scurfield published over 50 research papers. Below is an incomplete list of his published papers:- Scurfield, G., 1967. The ultrastructure of reaction wood differentiation. Holzforschung 21, 6-13.
- Scurfield, G., 1967. Histochemistry of reaction wood differentiation in Pinus radiata D. Don. Aust. J. Bot. 15, 377-92.
- Scurfield, G., and Silva S.R., 1969. The structure of reaction wood as indicated by scanning electron microscopy. Aust. J. Bot. 17, 391-402.
- Scurfield, G., Silva, S.R., and Wold, M.B., 1972. Failure of wood under load applied parallel to grain: a study using scanning electron microscopy. Micron 3, 160-84.
- Scurfield, G., Mitchell, A.J., and Silva, S.R., 1973. Crystals in woody stems. J. Linn. Soc. London Bot. 66, 277-89.
- Scurfield, G., Anderson, C.A. and Segnit, E.R., 1974a. Silica in woody stems. Aust. J. Bot., 22: 211-229.
- Scurfield, G. Segnit, E.R. and Anderson, C.A., 1974b. Silicifcation of wood. Proc. SEM Conf. IIT Res. Inst., Proc. Workshop on Scanning Electron Microscopy and the Plant Sciences, Chicago, Ill., 1974, pp.389–396.
- Scurfield, G., 1979. Wood petrification: an aspect of biomineralogy. Aust. J. Bot., 27: 377-390.
- Scurfield, G. and Segnit, E. R., 1984, Petrification of wood by silica minerals. Sedimentary Geology. vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 149–167.