William Sutherland Dun
Encyclopedia
William Sutherland Dun was an Australia
n palaeontologist, geologist
and president of the Royal Society of New South Wales
.
Dun was the son of Major Percy Henderson Dun, formerly of the East India Company's army, and his wife Catherine Eliza Jane, née Duncan and was born at Cleveland House, Cheltenham
, England
. The family moved to Australia in 1869, Dun was educated at Newington College
(1882-1886) and the University of Sydney
.
On 8 April 1890 Dun was employed as a probationer in the Geological Survey of New South Wales
and was an assistant to Edgeworth David
in his work on the Hunter River
coalfield. Dun owed most of his training to Robert Etheridge, Junior
. In 1892 Dun passed final final examinations in geology and palaeontology with first-class honours and in 1893 was made assistant palaeontologist to the geological survey. In 1899 he was appointed palaeontologist to the survey and in 1902 became lecturer in palaeontology to the university of Sydney.
Dun was president of the Linnean Society of New South Wales
in 1913 and 1914, and president of the Royal Society of New South Wales for the year 1918-19. He resigned from the geological survey in 1933 but continued his university lectureship until his death. He died on 7 October 1934 of cancer and was survived by his second wife (Mabel, née Edgar), and four children — a son and daughter each from both marriages. His writings can be found in the Records of the Geological Survey of New South Wales.
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 palaeontologist, geologist
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and president of 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...
.
Dun was the son of Major Percy Henderson Dun, formerly of the East India Company's army, and his wife Catherine Eliza Jane, née Duncan and was born at Cleveland House, Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, 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 family moved to Australia in 1869, Dun was educated at Newington College
Newington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
(1882-1886) and the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
.
On 8 April 1890 Dun was employed as a probationer in the Geological Survey of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and was an assistant to Edgeworth David
Edgeworth David
Sir Tannatt William Edgeworth David KBE, DSO, FRS, was a Welsh Australian geologist and Antarctic explorer. A household name in his lifetime, David's most significant achievements were discovering the major Hunter Valley coalfield in New South Wales and leading the first expedition to reach the...
in his work on the Hunter River
Hunter River
The Hunter River is a major river in New South Wales, Australia. The Hunter River rises in the Liverpool Range and flows generally south and then east, reaching the Pacific Ocean at Newcastle, the second largest city in New South Wales and a major port....
coalfield. Dun owed most of his training to 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...
. In 1892 Dun passed final final examinations in geology and palaeontology with first-class honours and in 1893 was made assistant palaeontologist to the geological survey. In 1899 he was appointed palaeontologist to the survey and in 1902 became lecturer in palaeontology to the university of Sydney.
Dun was president of the Linnean Society of New South Wales
Linnean Society of New South Wales
The Linnean Society of New South Wales promotes the Cultivation and Study of the Science of Natural History in all its Branches and was founded in Sydney, New South Wales in 1874 and incorporated in 1884. It succeeded the Entomological Society of New South Wales, founded in 1862 and folded in...
in 1913 and 1914, and president of the Royal Society of New South Wales for the year 1918-19. He resigned from the geological survey in 1933 but continued his university lectureship until his death. He died on 7 October 1934 of cancer and was survived by his second wife (Mabel, née Edgar), and four children — a son and daughter each from both marriages. His writings can be found in the Records of the Geological Survey of New South Wales.