Person Murchison; Sir; Roderick Impey (1792 - 1871); geologist and geographer Murchison Roderick Impey Sir geologist and geographer 1792 - 1871 British Male Tarradale House, Muir of Ord, Easter Ross, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe 19 February 1792 1792 16 Belgrave Square, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe 22 October 1871 1871 Burial: Brompton Cemetery, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Tarradale House (-1818); Galgate, Barnard Castle, County Durham (1818-1822); Leicestershire (1822-1823); 3 Bryanston Place, London (1824-1825); 16 Belgrave Square (1839-1871)

Geology Education: Durham School (1799-1805); Military College, Marlow (1805) Career: Ensign, 36th Regiment (1807); served at Vimiero (1808) and at Corunna (1809), then in Sicily and Ireland; Captain, 6th Dragoons; retired (1815); cademic interests arose during tour in Europe (1816-1818); attended lecturers of the Royal Institution (1824); undertook geological fieldwork in Kent and Cornwall; established oldest then-known fossil-bearing classification with 'The Silurian System'; undertook geological work in Britain and Russia (1841-1845); President of geological and geographical sections of the British Association (1846); Director-General, Geological Survey (1853); published 'Siluria' (1854); helped establish the chair of geology at Edinburgh university Honours: Kt 1846; KCB 1863; Bt 1866 Order of Saint Anne and Order of Saint Stanislaus (Russian Empire, 1845) Memberships: Fellow of the Geological Society (1825; President 1831, 1862-1871); Royal Geographical Society (founding member 1830; President 1843-1871); Athenaeum (Founder member) Foreign Member of Academié des Sciences and Russian Academy of Sciences Medals/Awards: Wollaston Medal (1864) Brisbane Medal (1859) Parents: Kenneth Murchison and Barbara Mackenzie; step-father: Colonel Robert Macgregor Murray Siblings: Kenneth Murchison Married: Charlotte Hugonin Murchison His father, Kenneth Murchison, was a trained physician and became wealthy as a surgeon for the East India Company (1769-1791). As Director General of the Geological Survey, Sir Murchison himself was in charge of much of Britain's overseas research interest, appointed colonial geological surveyors, and was in charge of organising many major British expeditions between 1850 and 1870. He was an advocate for continuous expansion of the empire and furthered the link between the scientific community and the government by seeking patronages for geologists in a large number of colonised places. Murchison's most well-known legacy is his contribution to the geological field through 'The Silurian System', and he held catastrophist views on mountain building, glaciation, and erosion. Royal Society roles: VP 1835-1836, 1843-1845, 1849-1851, 1858-1860 Committee and panels: Committee of Geology and Mineralogy Medals and prizes: Copley Medal 1849 Fellow 06/04/1826 34 Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB; ODNB Obituaries: Proc Roy Soc 1871-1872 vol 20 pp xxx-xxxiii References: Beryl M Hamilton, '"A Geological Blunder", 1893: A Scientific Storm in a Journalistic Teacup' in NR 1991 vol 45 pp 63-77 Joel Mandelstam, 'Du Chaillu's Stuffed Gorillas and the Savants from the British Museum' in NR 1994 vol 48 pp 227-245, plate Jack Morrell, review of Robert A Stafford, Scientist of Empire: Sir Roderick Murchison, Scientific Exploration and Victorian Imperialism in NR 1992 vol 46 pp 191-193 Vanity Fair 26 November 1870 Notes: One signature in election certificate deliberately obscured ©The Royal Society International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspl.1871.0003 RCN: 56470 RCN: 35383 RCN: 35385 RCN: 56471 RCN: 35384 RCN: R63142 RCN: 56472 RCN: 56462 RCN: 56469 RCN: 56481 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH6117 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/image-rs-11956 19 Feb 1792 - 22 Oct 1871 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 21/10/2021 as part of Name Authority Project update. NA8081 21/11/2001 Andyg Pmab 02/04/2026 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/46876809 990139a9-88e0-409b-b900-32e0758b288e