Archives at the Lapworth Museum
The Museum's extensive Archive relates to many significant geoscientists, particularly from the nineteenth century.
Lapworth Archive
One of the most complete archives of any nineteenth century natural historian after that of Darwin, the Archive contains a remarkable record of the research, teaching, administrative and consultancy work, and personal items of Charles Lapworth (1842–1920), which spans approximately fifty years from his early research through to his death. Lapworth was involved in many debates and discoveries, and the Archive clearly records his role when solving some of the major geological controversies accompanied with hand-drawn maps, cross-sections, and sketches.Lapworth's early geological work, between the 1860s and 1880s, unraveled the geology of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. He demonstrated that graptolite fossils could be used to zone and correlate rock sequences, and established the region's geological structure and history. After his appointment as the first Professor of Geology at Mason College (the forerunner to the University of Birmingham), Lapworth's research turned to the geological structure of the North West Highlands. He again used his pioneering large-scale geological mapping, concentrating on the area around Durness and Loch Eriboll in Sutherland.
Lapworth's work on graptolites, a fossil group in which he was one of the world's leading authorities, is preserved through numerous original drawings of species together with notes and figures in connection with his numerous publications. Lapworth was also involved in applied geological work, and to a large degree founded the discipline of hydrogeology. Furthermore, he worked as a member of the Royal Commission inquiry into the extent of Britain's coal reserves prior to the Great War.
Charles Lapworth's Archive was catalogued as part of an Archives Revealed funded project which was completed in January 2023.
Photographs of Charles Lapworth.
Lapworth's correspondences.
A map drawn by Lapworth of the Southern Uplands and Lapworth's handwritten correspondences.
Shotton Archive
Professor Fred Shotton (1906–1990) followed Leonard Johnston Wills (1884–1979) as Head of Department, and was also interested in a wide range of geological subjects. Of particular importance was his work on the geology of the Cross Fell Inlier, and his research on Quaternary ecology and climatic reconstruction. He also pioneered the technique of applying petrology to study the provenance of Stone Age axes. As with his predecessors, he was involved in applied geological consultancy work, notably hydrogeology.
Shotton also served as a military geologist during the Second World War and his work involved locating water supplies for the army, particularly in desert environments using groundwater from boreholes. He was also involved in geological aspects of beaches in France, and whether heavy army vehicles could operate on them successfully during the allied invasion.
Material from the Shotton archive, including photographs and sketches.
A field trip to Swanage in 1936.
An army vehicle and staff.
Wills Archive
Leonard Johnston Wills (1884–1979) was Professor of Geology at the University of Birmingham from 1932 until 1949. He had a wide range of geological interests, of which the Archive provides a comprehensive account of his significant contributions, particularly in Paleozoic stratigraphy and the evolving palaeogeography of Britain. Wills and his colleagues also made significant advances in our understanding of palaeobiology and the evolution of key fossil groups, including fossil fish and Carboniferous and Triassic arthropods, especially scorpions and related species; and advanced applied aspects of geology related to water resources. In 1954, Wills received the Wollaston Medal from the Geological Society of London. After leaving Birmingham, Wills became Professor Emeritus and retained his link with the University until his death.
Material from the Wills archive, including photographs and sketches.
A young Wills (left) sits with colleagues.
An older Wills leans on a fence smoking a pipe.
Geological Sketches
The Museum holds numerous geological sketches and coloured geological illustrations, some of which were made by notable professionals such as Charles Lapworth (1842–1920), while others were made by amateur geologists. The collection also includes many beautifully drawn and coloured sections of mines, particularly from the South Staffordshire coalfields. Some of these were produced in the early 19th century, recording the different strata and coals encountered at different levels in the mines, and often include sketches or detailed drawings of the mine buildings and workings.
A geological sketch by A. H. Green.
A geological section of the Dunkirk New Colliery in West Bromwich from 1825.
A geological sketch of Loch Eriboll by Charles Lapworth.
Photographic Archive
The Museum holds a large photographic collection, including portraits of notable geologists, landscape photography, and items dating back to the 1860s. This is an important historical and scientific record, often providing evidence of geological localities that have now disappeared.
Harrison Photographs
William Jerome Harrison (1845–1908) was a pioneering photographer. In 1880, he became Chief Science Master to the Birmingham School Board, and until his death was responsible for the teaching of science in Birmingham’s schools. Harrison was interested in natural history and published widely on many aspects. He was active in many Midlands scientific societies and became a close friend of Charles Lapworth (1842–1920), accompanying him on numerous field trips and attending his geology classes at Mason College. Harrison realised the importance of photography for producing historical records and for illustrating educational material. It was Harrison who produced the first geological book illustrated by photographs. The Museum holds such photographs by Harrison, particularly of the Midlands and field excursions with Lapworth, and many copies of photographs that he contributed to the National Collection of Geological Photographs.
Lantern Slides
The photographic collection includes >7000 glass lantern slides, many dating to the early days of Mason College and used by Lapworth and his colleagues for teaching. Other lantern slide collections include photographs taken by Tempest Anderson (1846–1913), who was an ophthalmic surgeon and an influential photographer. He was also a keen geologist and authority in volcanology who spent much of his free time travelling to active volcanic regions to study eruptions. The Royal Institution commissioned him to study and report on the 1902 eruptions of La Soufrière on St. Vincent and Mount Pelée on Martinique, in the West Indies. Anderson promoted the role of photography for illustrating geology, and his photographs of volcanoes form an important and often unique record of eruptions and their effects.
Rock climbers scale an icy terrain.
A Tempest Anderson photograph taken at Vesuvius in 1885.
A carnival float from the University of Birmingham depicting a sauropod dinosaur.
An image of a basalt quarry by William Jerome Harrison.
A Tempest Anderson photograph taken at Mount Somma in 1888.