Sir Archibald Geikie's Timeline

The Early Years (1835 to 1854)

1835

Sir Archibald Geikie was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on the 28th of December; son of James Stewart Geikie, a Musician and Music Critic to the Scotsman Newspaper. The family was active in the hairdressing and perfumery business for a number of generations. His father had also been involved in this industry during most of Geikie’s life at home, but later relinquished this to follow his interest in music in the above publication. He gave lessons, trained choirs, conducted orchestras and composed hymns.

Geikie’s father James Stewert Geikie, (1811-1883), was also born in Edinburgh on the 12 January 1811 and married Isabella Thorn (1809-1895) on 10th August 1835 at St. Cuthbert’s Church, Edinburgh. She was the daughter of a captain in the merchant marine and came from the Inverness area of Northen Scottland.

The family home was at Malta House in the Stockbridge district of Edinburgh, also known as Malta Cottage in the north of the city and still exists today. The family only stayed there for about one year 1835-36, but recently identified as Geikie’s actual birthplace.

1841

The family moved to several places towards the south of the city from 1841 to 1861. The Geikie family resided in Hanover St (1841) to South College St (1843-45), to Hope Park, the Boroughloch, Buccleuch Place (1846-58) and finally to Duncan St (from 1859) during this period.

1842

Attended Black’s Preparatory School, Edinburgh for three years at the age of 7, and left in August 1845. He regarded Mr Black at the school as a ‘worthy’ man but was not particularly impressed by the quality of teaching.

Geikie recollects the autumn visit of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) and Prince Albert (1819-1861) to the city of Edinburgh. He was taught mainly English with minor science. A dominant recollection for Geikie that year was the opening of the first railway in Scotland, between Edinburgh and Glasgow in the spring of that year.

1843

On May 18th that year the school pupils witnessed the Disruption of the Kirk of Scotland (was a schism in which part of the church broke away from the Church of Scotland and formed another fraction called the Free Church of Scotland. Due to whether the Church of Scotland or the British Government had the power to control clerical positions and benefits). But the young Archibald was too young to understand this event, and that the free fraction would have one of his most important early mentors, Hugh Miller, (1802-1856), the Geologist and Writer!

1845

Educated at Royal High School, Edinburgh and began his education in October in the classics, focusing on Latin and Greek. Geikie experienced the “open wilds” at a farm on the moors between Croy & Kilsyth, Central Scotland. Attempted a sketch valley scene of the Forth & Clyde Canal during this period, probably one of the first he created.

In August his imagination was greatly stimulated by the introduction to the Scottish Highlands, during the holidays, a nice expedition for him. Travelled by steamer, walking and hiring a boat.

1846

A new Rector was appointed to the High School on the 3rd of January, a Dr Leonard Schmitz. The whole school was summoned to the Great Hall and Geikie heard his speech. At about this time Archibald Geikie became seriously interested in Latin. He eventually became so good at translation that he translated the “Four Ages of Ovid”. This piece of work was passed onto Dr. William Steven, Master of the school, who was at the time writing his “History of the High School of Edinburgh”. The work would be published in 1849, making it Geikie's first work in print.

In July that year the annual prize giving took place in the Great Hall of his school, where he received his prize a book called “Lays of Ancient Rome”. Geikie saw the inauguration of the memorial to Sir Walter Scott, the now very famous monument on Princes Street on the 12 August that year.

1848

Geikie's initial visit to London occurred with his mother in autumn 1848, and part of the journey was by boat, this was Geikie's first sea-voyage. A prominent memory was the visit to the House of Lords. He had a general interest in natural history with rocks, plants, animals and particularly butterflies. Between October 1848 and July 1849, he attended private lessons in French to expand his knowledge.

1849

During his early teenage years, Geikie was taken to the Theatre Royal by his father, where he observed some of the leading actors of the day, including Helena Saville Faucet (1817-1898), a noted actress of the time (later Lady Martin), that the young Geikie ‘liked’ during an evening visit in February 1849.

1850

He left the school aged 15 that year and later began his career in a lawyer’s office in Castle Street, Edinburgh. Before this between October 1848 and July 1849 Geikie attended private French lessons to expand his range of knowledge. It was suggested that he should work there for two years in the office of a Writer to the Signet, as part of his preliminary legal training before entering a banking career. The firm was William Frazer and was very near the Geikie’s residence. Geikie found the work tedious, but he did acquire some useful business acumen while there.

During this time Geikie explored the local area including the limestone Burdiehouse quarries, where he found a fossil that he could not identify using the standard texts. He asked his father was put in contact with Professor John Fleming (1785-1857), a distinguished Naturalist. He was invited to visit the Professor and found his in conversation with Dr Robert Kaye (probably Dr Robert Kaye Greville, 1794-1866), an eminent Botanist, who identified the fossil as a fern. Geikie considered this his first discussion with scientific men.

1851

A choice was offered to Archibald, either another visit to London (and the Great Exhibition) or a few weeks to the Island of Arran. The preference was obvious to him and selected the later instead. On the 3rd of September he sailed from Broomielaw of Glasgow in one of the steamboats, on a five-hour journey to Arran. The islands geology and natural history was greatly enjoyed and educational to Geikie. Wrote two articles under the title “three weeks in Arran by a young geologist” appeared in one Edinburgh Newspaper in December.

1852

A Mr Andrew Coventry, an advocate at the Scottish bar asked Geikie’s father if the writer of the above articles would like an introduction to Hugh Miller in Portobello. Archibald Geikie eagerly accepted this. They met numerous times at Millar’s home, a much-valued friendship developed between them and Geikie was invited to meetings of the Royal Physical Society where Miller was presenting a paper. Geikie was at this time to meet many important people that would contribute to his later career and friendships.

In the middle of that year Geikie suffered a serious attack of Scarlet Fever which left him very weak and that a long break was required. An extended holiday was arranged in London, where he spent most of the time in the galleries of the Museum of Practical Geology in Jermyn Street.

1853

Geikie abandoned his parents’ idea of a career in banking. Entered Edinburgh University to study Classics & Literature. Dr George Wilson, a chemist, author and biographer, (1818-1859) introduced Geikie to Professor A.C. Ramsay, (1814-1891), local Director of the Geological Survey and Alexander Macmillan, (1818-1896), the publisher.

Geikie took up the tutoring of private pupils and also took private lessons in mineralogy from Alexander Rose, (1781-1860), a Scottish geologist, mineral collector and dealer. Here he first met Dr Matthew Foster Heddle, (1828-1897), a chemist and mineralogist, who would become another lifelong friend. One of his earliest unpublished manuscripts is “Rambles in the Lias deposits of Skye” was published in September that year.

1854

Geikie continued his tutoring and his studies. He watched the soldiers from Edinburgh Castle march to Leith and Granton to embark for the Crimean War. He Matriculated in Humanities in November 1st that year. He took courses in Latin and Greek.

Geikie´s Geological Career (1855 to 1870)

1855

In February, Geikie was seized with violent attack from ulceration of the throat that kept him from further studies until April. He never caught up but his scholarship was recognised and acknowledged by his tutors. Apparently, a family financial crisis then occurred that year and forced him to end his studies later. Recent research has shown this to be false. A son of the family, William Geikie (1837-1859) was responsible for a stabbing incident in Princes St, Edinburgh on the 24th April 1855 and the victim was a journey-man upholster named George Boswell, who later recovered. Thus, Geikie did not return to the university in October and sought advice from his principal mentor George Wilson.

Two letters were shown to Geikie’s father around May. One from Sir Roderick Murchison, (1792-1871), geologist and Director of the Geological Survey to Hugh Miller enquired if Miller knew of a suitably qualified young man to be appointed to a field post in the Geological Survey. Another was Miller’s reply. It contained a good recommendation for Geikie and a reference to his earlier geological work in Skye. An interview was quickly arranged at Murchison’s hotel in Edinburgh with Andrew Crombie Ramsay, (1871-1881), geologist. Geikie was accepted without Civil Service formalities aged 20.

Geike then set off on another expedition to Skye and spent a further 6 weeks in the area including the island of Scalpay for the first time. This was published as [Remarks accompanying an] “Exhibition of a collection of Liassic fossils from Pabba and Skye” in the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal.

Geikie started his geological career on 19th October 1855 as a geological field assistant and began work in the Haddington district east of Edinburgh with a Mr H.H. Howell, (1872-1898), a coalfield geologist.

1856

He was engaged in surveying the western parts of Midlothian, northern sections of West Lothian. In addition, Geikie managed to complete geological mapping of the Strath district of Skye and devoted attention to the island of Raasay, including the collection of numerous Jurassic fossils.

1857

Geikie visited Binn Hill (174 m hight) around the town of Burntisland, Fife, Scotland to study the Carboniferous basalt rock geology in January of that year. Archibald visited Skye in July of that year.

1858

Continued geological fieldwork in the Edinburgh district. Geikie published “The story of a Boulder”, it was his first published book. Also visited London and met many colleagues at the Geological Survey. “The Geology of Strath”, Skye was published in the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London.

1859

The Edinburgh geological sheet of the Geological Survey of Scotland was completed. He attended the British Association’s Meeting in Aberdeen where he met many other geologists. Geikie gathered material for his future paper on the Old Red Sandstone.

1860

Geikie accompanied Murchison on their famous tour of the northwest and central Highlands of Scotland to determine the geological succession of the rocks in those regions. They both met at the port of Greenock on August 6th, to take ship up to the Hebrides. After a few side excursions on the west coast, they arrived at Banavie near Fort William 19th August. After much travelling and cursory examinations of the areas geology they completed their survey and retuned to Edinburgh via a land route on the 1st of October. Geikie also gave course lectures to students at the School of Mines during academic parts of that year.

1861

Geikie is promoted to Geologist at the Survey. He visited the volcanic districts of the Auvergne, France to study volcanic features. Published with Murchison “The altered rocks of the Western Islands of Scotland and the northwestern and Central Highlands” paper. Also published eight other geological papers, some jointly with other authors. Geikie declined an offer of the post of Geologist to the Maharajah of Cashmere. He published an educational paper entitled “My first geological Excursion”: A chapter for geology for boys in Good Words.

1862

Geikie studied the “drift” deposits of Southern Scotland and developed independently the idea of terrestrial ice-sheets, as suggested by Louis Agassiz, (1807-1873), the biologist and geologist. He also travelled to London. Geikie used a yacht to visit the Island of Bute. Later in the year the family went around south west Scotland.

1863

Examination of “drift” deposits continued along the northeast coast of England. The important paper “On the phenomena of the Glacial Drift of Scotland” was published by John Gray in Glasgow. In October, Geikie was assigned to the Carrick district of Ayrshire, Scotland. The geological memoir for the East Berwick district is published.

1864

Geikie’s friends Professor Pillans and Leonard Horner both died this year. “Outlines of the geology of the British Isles to accompany the geological map” was published by W. and A.K. Johnson of Edinburgh, Scotland.

1865

He became a Fellow of the Royal Society. Geikie organised and led an expedition to visit Norway to study aspects of glaciation with James Geikie, (1839-1915), geologist and his brother, William Whitaker, (1836-1925), Survey geologist and John Young, (1835-1902), assistant geologist at the Survey. Together they examined areas beyond the Arctic Circle. The expedition left England on the 30th June and returned on the 12th of August. Geikie published his first major text “The scenery of Scotland viewed in connection with its physical geology”. It was a fine work and ran through three editions. Major parts of the Old Red Sandstone were mapped in the Midlothian, Lanark, Ayr, Fife, Perth and Kinross areas.

1866

J.B. Jukes, (1811-1869) a geologist invited Geikie to visit Antrim, Northern Ireland in spring to study the remarkable volcanic sequences at the Giant’s Causeway, displayed there. Visited London on several occasions on Survey duties and attended various social functions. Geikie travelled to the Island of Mull, Scotland.

1867

He became Director of the Geological Survey of Scotland 1st April. Geikie re-organised parts of the Geological Survey and was present at the British Association’s Meeting in Dundee. The subject for the Presidential Address to be given was: “The History of Volcanic Action in the British Islands”. He gave an important paper to the Royal Society suggesting a Tertiary age for the basalt plateaux of Northern Ireland (Giant’s Causeway), West coast of Scotland and South Italy.

1868

Geikie accompanied other geologists during an excursion with the Geological Survey to examine the geology of the Eifel volcanic district in Germany and the Swiss Alps from July 29th to September 2nd. The paper “On the order of succession among the Silurian rocks of Scotland” was published by Geikie.

1869

Travelled to Austria during the summer and studied various aspects of field geology in the Alps. He gave an opening address to the 36th Anniversary meeting of the Edinburgh Geological Society, also published in the Transactions of that society.

1870

Geikie acquired Ramsay Lodge, Edinburgh for his own home. George Poulet Scrope, (1797-1876), the geologist and political economist requested him to visit the Lipari Islands and Southern Italy. Geikie became seriously ill with Malarial Fever in April/May and came back to Britain to convalesce.

He met Anna Alice Gabrielle Pignatel, (1851-1915), from Lyon, France, near the home of his publisher Alexander Macmillan. She was a trained musician and quite beautiful with a charming voice, but increasingly became more attractive to Geikie by her gentleness and gaiety.

Marriage and Family (1871 to 1883)

1871

Archibald Geikie became engaged in April of this year and married Anna Alice Gabrielle Pignatel, 17th August and lived in at their home Ramsay Lodge in the Castlehill area of Edinburgh. The couple were engaged in April of that year.

Their wedding tour included Germany, France and Switzerland. Her mother (Priscilla Burdy Brown) was English and her father (Jean Pierre Eugene Pignatal), who had died recently, belonged to a branch of the Pignatel family of southern Italy, which had migrated to France several generations before. Her family home was the Chateau de St. Didier near Lyons, France. Here parents were both married on the 23rd December 1839 in Manchester.

He was offered the first holder of the Murchison Chair of Geology and Mineralogy at Edinburgh University. Geikie’s long-term friend and professional colleague Sir Roderick Murchison, (1792-1871), died on 22nd October. A paper on the Tertiary rocks of the British Isles was published along with a Memoir Survey publication on the geology of parts of Dumfriesshire, Lanarkshire and Ayrshire areas.

The family visited the island of Arran in August and September, one of Geikie’s favourite places. The Scottish School of Geology had an inaugural lecture at the opening of the class of geology and mineralogy in the University of Edinburgh in the 6th of November of that year by Archibald.

1872

Their first child, Lucy Isabella, (1872-1953), was born on 22nd July, at their home Ramsay Lodge.

Geikie introduced a course of lectures on geology at Edinburgh University, including field excursions. Courses were also arranged for woman’s education and Geikie’s wife Anna Alice accompanied them. He gave several lectures in Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester.

1873

Geikie published his first popular Science Primers in February. The subject was “Physical Geography” and was illustrated with his own drawings. The first printing was exhausted in 6 months! They were to be a total of 10 in the series and were hugely successful for both the publishers Macmillan and their authors. During April to June Alice travelled to Italy. The explanation sheet for the “Geology of the Western Wigtownshire” was published by the Survey. A field trip for ladies was arranged to visit Loch Skene. Perhaps this was part of one of Geikie’s geology courses for woman.

1874

The family moved in April to a newly built home on the Colinton Road called Boroughfield House, Edinburgh. The house had nearly an acre of land! Their son Roderick, (1874-1910), was born on 11th April. The second Science Primer was published on Geology, and was 135 pages in length with black and white illustrations.

1875

In April, the major work, “Life of Sir Roderick I. Murchison” made its public appearance in two octave volumes. The English geologist Sir Charles Lyell, (1797-1875), died. Geikie wrote Charles Lyell's obituary in the Journal Nature. A trip was arranged for Archibald to study the Highland Boundary fault of Scotland.

The family visited Northern France in August for a holiday. Geikie experienced ‘sketching fever’ amounting to 10 hours during this vacation. In October that year he gave a lecture at the Morningside Asylum, Edinburgh on the topic of ‘Scotch Pebbles’.

1876

“Outlines of Field-Geology” was published this year by Macmillan and Co Publishers. He gave a lecture on “Mountain architecture” delivered as part of the “Glasgow Science Lectures”, on Thursday 27th January and published in 1877.

1877

“Elementary Lessons in Physical Geography” was published that year.

Geikie accompanied his friend from his days as a student at Edinburgh, the celebrated mineralogist Mathew Foster Heddle, (1828-1897) to the Loch Eriboll and Durness districts of the North West Highlands. Between May and June Geikie had an accident and his foot was crushed under a mail coach.

Their third child Elsie, (1877-1915), was born on 14th July. The paper on the glacial geology of Orkney and Shetland was published in the journal Nature. He spent part of the winter writing a memoir on the Old Red Sandstone.

1878

A paper about the famous Old Man of Hoy (a sandstone sea stack in the Orkney Islands, Scotland) was published in the Geological Magazine that year. Geikie painted this geological feature in different versions. Also, two short papers discussing American geological surveys and exploration were published in the Journal Nature.

1879

The work “On the Carboniferous Volcanic Rocks of the Basin of the Firth of Forth: their structure in the field” made its appearance in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Geikie visited the USA from August to November and toured around Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Yellowstone Park studying various geological features and landscapes. He met in person and corresponded with many prominent American geologists of the day.

“Geology” was published in the Encyclopaedia Britannica. A detailed introductory article of the subject of geology.

1880

Gabrielle Jeanne, (1880-1958), was born on 20th September (called Margaret at birth, but her name was changed before her christening). He published several papers that year including “The lava-fields of north-western Europe” in Nature, along with A fragment of Europe in the same journal.

Also, an interesting paper on rock weathering appeared in Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburg using church yard examples from his native city of Edinburgh.

1881

Geikie received the Murchison Medal. A descriptive paper on the “Geysers of the Yellowstone” was printed in Macmillan's Magazine. Two other papers were published, on the ancient glaciers of the Rocky Mountains and an obituary of the French Geologist Ami Boue, (1794-1881).

At the near end of the year Geikie received a letter from the Privy Council Office offering the post of Director-General of the Geological Survey and the Directorship of the Museum of Practical Geology in Jermyn Street, London.

1882

Became Director General of the Geological Survey on the 1st of January and moved to 61 Ladbroke Grove, London. The “Textbook of Geology” was published 17th October after five years research work. It was an excellent volume with good sales both at home and in America. “Geological Sketches at home and abroad” also was published in the same year.

1883

He assigned the Survey geologists Peach and Horne to investigate the Northwest Highlands and report and publish their findings to the Geological Survey. A geological paper on the supposed Pre-Cambrian rocks of St. David’s was published in the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London.

Marriage and Family (1884 to 1900)

1884

Geikie gave a series of five lectures on “The origin of the scenery of the British Isles”. The 31st Report of the Science and Art Department of the Committee of Council on Education was published by the London publisher Eyre and Spottiswoode. The Report was divided into several sections: Report of the Director-General, The Geological Survey of the United Kingdom, The Museum of Practical Geology and the Mining Records Office. He travelled to north west Sutherland and saw the geological fieldwork work of Peach and Horne, upsetting the Murchison arrangement of the structural geology of the district. Thus, Geikie had to recant his views on the matter.

The family spent summer in Newquay, Cornwall between August 13th and September 3rd. Two papers on the metamorphic rock type schists were published by Geikie in the Nature Journal. In December the Geikie family went to France.

1885

In April Lucy had developed a lung problem and had to visit Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, a health resort for respite, due to its peculiar microclimate.

Attended the 3rd International Geological Congress in Berlin. A short paper by Archibald Geikie on “The Geological Survey of Belgium” was published in the journal Nature. Also, a paper on the origin of coral reefs appeared that year. A second revised edition of his “Textbook of Geology” was published by Macmillan Publishers.

1886

“The 33rd Report of Report of the Science and Art Department of the Committee of Council on Education” was published by the London publisher Eyre and Spottiswoode. A review of his “Class-book of Geology” was reviewed in Nature that year. It ran for six editions from 1886 to 1919.

1887

Geikie was invited to Oxford and gave an address on the influence which the geological features of Britain have had on the races that have settled in these Islands. The Geikie family moved to Harrow for their son’s schooling. The paper “The life and letters of Charles Darwin” appeared in Contemporary Review.

Another educational book was published in the same year entitled “The Teaching of geography, suggestions regarding principles and methods for the use of Teachers”. and was part of Macmillan's Geographical Series, together with “An elementary geography of the British Isles” as part of that series.

1888

He gave the results of a study relating to the British Tertiary volcanic history to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This work would be formally published later. The family wintered on the Italian Rivera and then Florence. Geikie attended the 4th International Geological Congress in London. He met Charles Doolittle Walcott, (1850-1927), American Palaeontologist, during an evening reception at the Congress hosted by Geikie on Wednesday the 19th September.

1889

Inspection duties in the field covered many areas including England, Ireland and Scotland. He travelled to Florence and Rome, Italy. Geikie also visited Norway briefly in July for additional geological research. He was elected Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society and was awarded for the second time the Macdougall-Brisbane medal. Geikie received a number of diplomas of honorary memberships of foreign academies.

He brought together a collection of geological specimens to illustrate the fundamental principles of geology in the Butler Museum, at Harrow School. A special 86-page handbook with woodcuts was produced to accompany the collection, and was printed in June, entitled Handbook to the geological collections in the Butler Museum, Harrow School by Archibald Geikie. Harrow on the Hill. J.C. Wibee.

1890

At the beginning of this year the Geological Society informed Geikie that the Presidency of that Society would be offered to him. Geikie became President of the Geological Society on the 21st of February.

The major paper “The history of volcanic action during the Tertiary period” in the British Isles made its appearance in the Transaction of the Royal Society Edinburgh. Image needed He visited Western Ireland. He had several interviews with Sir William Thompson, later Lord Kelvin, (1824-1907), British mathematician, Physicist and Engineer, about the future Presidency of the Royal Society.

1891

Knighthood awarded to Geikie by Queen Victoria on 30th July at Osborne, Isle of Wight. He travelled to Paris for the Centenary of the Institute de France. The revision of the geology of the South Wales Coalfield began.

A paper dealing with volcanoes appeared this year, “History of volcanic action in the British Isles” was published in the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London.

1892

The Anniversary of the Geological Society took place in February at Burlington House, London. A new mineral species geikielite is named after Sir Archibald Geikie. The family moved to Chester Terrace, Regent’s Park in October. Geikie’s wife and their daughters spent the winter in Paris, while he would stay at the Athenaeum Club in London.

“39th Report of Report of the Science and Art Department of the Committee of Council on Education” was published that year. The second edition of “Geological Sketches at home and abroad” also was published by Macmillan.

1893

On January 5th, the science journal Nature published an essay by the French geologist Albert Auguste de Lapparent, (1839-1908), as a contribution to its series “Scientific Worthies”. The subject was the scientific work of Archibald Geikie, it was an eulogistic account of his labours.

On the 29th June Geikie joined the Board of Governors of Harrow School. His son Roderick became Head of School this year. Geikie continued to edit the third edition of the “Text-book of Geology”, which was completed and printed in two volumes that summer. Geikie chaired the meeting of the British Association at Nottingham 15th September. The subject was contributions to discussion on “The limits between geology and physical geography”. He published five papers this year on various aspects of geology including “The Geology of the North-West Highlands” in Nature.

1894

Geikie attended the 6th International Geological Congress in Zurich, Switzerland. Time allowed for fieldwork inspections in the southern and midland counties of England and the Southern Uplands of Scotland. A paper on the igneous rocks and their relationships in the Inner Hebrides was published in the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London. A further 5 papers were published on a range of different geological topics.

1895

Survey duties took Geikie to western Scotland and Geikie seized the opportunity to climbed Ben Nevis and spent the night of 14th June at the Observatory. During a yachting cruise of the Island of Jura, he examined the raised beaches there. He also visited the St. Kilda archipelago. Geikie was awarded the Geological Society’s Wollaston Medal – the society’s highest award. A detailed life of Sir Andrew Crosbie Ramsay was published by Macmillan publishers.

1896

His cherished friend the Geologist Joseph Prestwich, (1812-1896), died on 23rd June. Due to increased work at the Survey headquarters, Geikie spent most of his time in London with only occasional visits to Scotland.

1897

He made a second visit to the USA and gave a course of six lectures to inaugurate the Williams Lectureship at John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. This was the basis of his later book “The Founders of Geology” published in the summer. This book reveals his extensive knowledge of classical and modern literature.

He toured in southern Russia, Turkey, Greece and Italy. Attended the 7th International Geological Congress. Geikie’s monumental two-volume magnum opus “The ancient volcanoes of Great Britain” was published by Macmillan.

1898

The “Summary of progress of the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom for 1897 with an introduction regarding the history, organisation, and work of the Survey” was published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. The lecture: Types of scenery and their influence on literature: the Romanes Lecture was delivered by Geikie in the Sheldon Theatre, June 1st. He gave an address to the students of Mason University College, Birmingham at the opening of the session on the 4th of October that year titled: Science in Education.

1899

The immortal book “Theory of the Earth” by the Scottish Geologist James Hutton (1726-1797), was published in 1795 in two volumes, but a third volume was never published. Geikie eventually found the missing manuscript and appealed to the Geological Society for it to be published. The proposal was accepted and Geikie edited the work. It was issued in February.

Geikie was in attendance at the 8th International Geological Congress. He wrote the summary of the scientific work of Sir Joseph Prestwich (1812-1896) British geologist and businessman, and in: Life and letters of Sir Joseph Prestwich; written and edited by his wife Grace Ann Prestwich and published by William Blackwood & Sons that year.

1900

Geikie published the obituary of the Duke of Argyll (George Campbell, 8th Duke), (1823-1900), British Polymath, in the science journal Nature. The geological memoir of the Geological Survey “The geology of central and western Fife and Kinross” was published in the same year. Two other papers appeared that year.

The Wharton Inquiry (named after the Member of Parliament the Right Honourable John Lloyd Wharton, (1837-1912) was set up in this year to investigate the Geological Survey's activities. It met on 13 separate occasions, and submitted their report on 20th September that year. The paper “Notes on some specimens of rocks from the Antarctic regions” was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. The 5th edition of his outlines of “Field Geology “appeared that year.

Geikie´s Retirement and Awards (1901 to 1913)

1901

Archibald Geikie retired at the 1st March, after 44 years and 4 months of public service. He wrote a letter “Our mountain seclusion” protesting against the proposed construction of the Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon railway in North Wales in the journal Nature. Geikie published a French paper about the international cooperation and investigations between geologists.

Geikie attended a complimentary dinner on 1st May with Lord Avebury, (1834-1913), English Banker, Liberal Politician, Philanthropist, Scientist and Polymath. An account of which appeared in the Journal Nature on the 9th of the same month. He also, attended the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Carl Linnaeus, (1707-1778, the Swedish Botanist, Zoologist and Taxonomist in May in Upsala and Stockholm, Sweden. An article on “Recent studies of old Italian volcanos” appeared in the Journal Nature.

1902

Geikie published his major illustrated article on “Geology” in the 10th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica in England and Scotland. He worked on new editions of his various educational books. On 22nd August Archibald Geikie was asked to attend the centenary of the birth of his friend Hugh Millar at Cromarty, his native town in Scotland. Geikie gave an address that was printed as a pamphlet for those interested. This was followed by luncheon and a visit to the house where Miller was born.

The Geikie family spent the winter of 1902/3 in Rome. He devoted the afternoons to sightseeing with his family. He was offered the Presidency of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. The Geological Survey Memoir of Eastern Fife was published by the Geological Survey and was to be his last memoir. A paper on the subject of “The use of Ordnance maps in teaching geography” was published by Geikie.

1903

Geikie attended the 9th International Geological Congress in Vienna, Austria. The Geological Survey Memoir covering the districts of Northern Arran, South Bute, the Cumraes with parts of Ayrshire and Kintyre was published together with 5 other Survey Officers. Geikie was offered the Secretaryship of the Royal Society in November and filled that post with great enthusiasm until 1908.

In that year he was elected President of the Royal Society and occupied the chair until 1913. He wrote an obituary of the Belgian Geologist Alphonse Francois Renard, (1842-1903) in the Geological Magazine. Letter on the subject of “Summer Lightning” appeared in the Journal Nature.

1904

The book “Scottish Reminiscences” was published by James Maclehose and was a popular work. An Anniversary address given on the 4th November 1903 was published this year on the subject of continental elevation and denudation. He also published five other papers including some in French.

11th May Geikie attended a private dinner by the Prince of Wales, now King George V, (1865-1936) at the Athenaeum Club. An obituary of the French Geologist Ferdinand Fouque, (1828-1904) appeared in Nature.

1905

The second and expanded edition of “The Founders of Geology” was published. It is a very readable work and is an important review of the early development of the science of geology. Geikie attended the spring ceremony of the Secretaries of Royal Society to celebrate the 100th Birthday of Manual Garcia, (1805-1906), the Spanish Singer, Musical Educator and Vocal Pedagogue. The volume “Landscape in history and other assays” by Geikie was published by Macmillan. A paper on the “Geology of the Moon” was published in the journal Nature. The building of Shepherd’s Down in Haslemere, Surrey, his new residence from London took place. His wife and daughters designed their house. The home shared some influence in its design from Charles Frances Annesley Voysey (1857-1941), an English architect, and furniture and textile designer.

1906

Geikie became President of the Geological Society for a second time. A range of different geological papers was published throughout the year including a variety of subjects ranging from geography to biographical materials. He gave an address to a meeting of the Alliance Francaise at the Sorbonne, Paris on the 26th February, ”Lamarck and Playfair: a geological retrospect of the year 1802” was the subject of the address. It was subsequently published in the Geological Magazine. A French version also appeared in France.

A paper “The origin of landscape” was written for the Edinburgh Review, and was printed in October.

1907

Knight Commander of the Bath was awarded to Geikie. In May of this year, Geikie was one of the chosen delegates for a meeting to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), a Swedish biologist and physician who arranged the binomial nomenclature system for classifying organisms, in Upsala and Stockholm, Sweden.

A variety of biographical papers made their appearance including the obituary of the German Geographer and Geologist Ferdinand Baron von Richthofen, (1833-1905). During the Centenary of the Geological of London, Geikie was chosen to preside over the ceremonies.

The famous Memoir “The Geological Structure of the North-West-Highlands of Scotland” was published by the Geological Survey of Great Britain and was edited by Archibald Geikie. This memoir is noted as being one of the finest regional geological works ever produced by any survey. He wrote the Preface at his new country residence at Shepherd’s Down, Haslemere, in June of that year. This house has been listed as a Grade II building since 1977.

1908

Geikie gave the President's anniversary address: “The published work of the Geological Society of London during the first century of the Society’s existence”. He gave this lecture on the 21st February that year. Archibald attended the British Association for the Advancement of Science at Dublin and he felt it was useful and enjoyable.

He also gave the Presidential address on 10th June 1908 entitled “The Weald” that appeared in the Transactions of the South-Eastern Union of Scientific Societies. It was summarised later in the Journal Nature. This is the only geological/geographical work by Geikie describing a region in southern England. Five obituary notices of fellow geologists were published by Archibald, including the English Geologist and Microscopist Henry Clifton Sorby, (1826-1908).

1909

An address on The Pioneers of geology in the Glasgow district was given by Geikie at the jubilee of the Geological Society of Glasgow 28th January. He was elected President of the Royal Society.

Geikie gave the Rede Lecture: “Charles Darwin as geologist” at the Darwin Centennial Commemoration on 24th June. It was published as a slim red volume in the same year, 1909 by Cambridge University Press. A contribution to the discussion on mountain building was made at a meeting of Section C, Geology, on the 8th September that year.

1910

He attended the International Association of Academies in Rome in May 1910, and Geikie travelled with colleagues to Naples for a few days prior to the meeting’s sitting. He delivered a Presidential Address to the Royal Society concerning the work of that society on 30th November. His son Roderick Geikie died in a London underground accident on the 6th December. He was buried in Brookwood Cemetery, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey.

His major article on “Geology” in the Encyclopaedia Britannica is printed as the 11th edition of the Encyclopaedia in New York. His article on “The building of the island” was printed in J.A. Balfour's book “The book of Arran “and published by The Arran Society of Glasgow. Geikie became the President of the Classics Association this year. He gave his address in Liverpool in January 1911. Two further papers appeared that year.

1911

He attended a dinner at Buckingham Palace on 3rd of March. On April 29th Geikie attended a Royal Academy dinner. Archibald presents the Copley Medal to Sir George Howard Darwin, (1845-1912), the Astronomer and Mathematician. He gave a Presidential Address to the Royal Society in London. At a Prime Minister’s dinner on the 27th of May, Geikie was invited. Coronation Day on June the 22nd for King George V and Queen Mary was celebrated in the presence of Sir Archibald Geikie in attendance.

1912

The volume “The love of nature among the Romans during the later decades of the Republic and the first century of the Empire” by Sir Archibald Geikie was published by John Murray. It was partly based upon the address he gave at the Classics Association in January 1911. This work was reviewed in the Journal Nature. A chapter entitled “Charles Lyell and Forfarshire Geology” appeared in: “Handbook and guide to Dundee and district, Dundee”, as part of the British Association.

Sir Archibald Geikie’s portrait was painted by John McLure Hamilton (1853-1936) an Anglo-American artist) on April 11th that year. This painting eventually appeared in John McLure Hamilton’s book: “Men I have painted”, and published by T. Fisher Unwin Ltd, London in 1921.

Geikie wrote the preface for the: “The signatures in the first journal-book and the charter book of the Royal Society: being a facsimile of the signatures of the founders, patrons and Fellows of the Society from the year 1660 down to the present time”.

1913

The Order of Merit was awarded to Geikie. A paper on the “Science of teaching in public schools” was published in the journal Nature. The death of Sir Jonathan Hutchinson, (1828-1913), English Surgeon, Ophthalmologist, Dermatologist and Pathologist), was reported locally, founder of Haslemere Museum. Geikie again presented the Copley Medal to an old friend Sir Edwin Ray Lankester, (1847-129), Zoologist. His second daughter Elsie was travelling through Italy with her school friends during part of this year.

Geikie´s Retirement and Awards (1914 to 1924)

1914

He revisited Rome and Naples in the spring with the object of studying the locations of various Latin poets, starting with the Sabine Hills. Geikie met with numerous academic friends and attended a meeting of the “Accademia dei Lincei”. The outbreak of the Great War in August prevented further Italian expeditions. The publication “English science and its literary caricatures in the 17th and 18 centuries” was published by Geikie with the Scottish publisher Robert Maclehose and Co. Ltd of Glasgow.

A public meeting on the future of Haslemere Museum took place and Geikie was appointed Chairman of the Museum Committee in February and continued in post until his death in 1924. He was also elected President of the Haslemere Natural History Society. An obituary of Sir John Murrey was written by Archibald and published in the Journal Nature.

1915

His daughter Elsie had been ill for several months in failing health, but she suddenly past away on the 23rd February. The whole family was deeply distressed and Geikie’s wife Alice was still further broken down in spirit by the loss of Elsie. Geikie’s brother James also died in Edinburgh on the 1st March after short illness. James had held the Chair of Geology at Edinburgh University with great success for 32 years, only retiring in the previous year.

A Canadian memorial to Hugh Miller appeared Nature in the form of a letter by Geikie. Also, Catullus at home was published by Geikie in the Quarterly Review.

1916

Archibald Geikie’s wife Alice died on the 21st January after a period of invalidity, and her ashes were buried in the Freshfields area of Brookwood Cemetery, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey, alongside her son Roderick. Early this year Gabrielle married Harold Jacob Behrens, (1880-1960), an officer of the Territorial Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment. When he went to the front in 1917, she returned the family home in Haslemere.

Geikie was asked to write a “History of the Royal Society Club”. The Presidential address to the Haslemere Natural History Society was entitled “The Birds of Shakespeare” on the 9th of March. This was subsequently published later this year by Robert Maclehose and Co. Ltd of Glasgow.

1917

Gabrielle had a son, Derick born in February that year. Derick was to spend much time with Geikie in Haslemere. “The Annals of the Royal Society Club: the record of a London dinning-club in the 18th and 19th centuries”, was published on April the 2th as an octave volume of 504 pages and contemporary 39 portraits of men described or referred to in the work.

Towards the end of the year Geikie’s friends in France conferred on him their highest distinction – the “Associe Etrander de I’ Institute de France”. He received many telegrams and letters of congratulations from numerous French Friends.

1918

The memoir of John Michell, (1724-1793), the English Natural Philosopher and Woodwardian Professor of Geology, University of Cambridge, by Geikie was published by Cambridge University Press in June.

1919

The Council of the University of Strasberg, Germany, bestowed the degree of Honorary Doctor of the University to him. Geikie was unable to attend but the diploma was sent to him. A letter on the subject of war memorials was written by Geikie and appeared in The Times 10 June 1919.

On the 1st December Geikie received a letter from Mr Ian Macpherson, (1880-1937), head of the Irish Office, informing him that the Government proposes to appoint a Royal Commission of Enquiry into Dublin University. He asked if Archibald would like to be Chairman of the Commission and Geikie accepted the role.

1920

Geikie published a memorial tribute to Sir Norman Lockyer, (1836-1920), the joint founder of the international science journal “Nature”.

During this time Geikie was in failing health he visited his local physician who recommended a second opinion by a Harley Street specialist in cancer of the rectum. John Percy Lockhart-Mummery, (1875-1957), confirmed the diagnosis of a tumour on 5th November that year. Geikie was considered too old (84) for surgery and returned home to Haslemere. There he continued his various works, such as Presidency of the Haslemere Natural History Society and his autobiography, the final published work.

1921

Geikie wrote a preface in Life of Alfred Newton. Professor of Comparative Anatomy, Cambridge University, 1866-1907 by A.F.R. Wollaston, (1875-1930), and published by John Murray this year.

1922

Geikie wrote a preface in Life of Alfred Newton. Professor of Comparative Anatomy, Cambridge University, 1866-1907 by A.F.R. Wollaston, (1875-1930), and published by John Murray this year.

1923

Geikie's address entitled The Weald previously published in 1908 was reprinted in the Haslemere Natural History Society's as Science Paper, No. 8. Charles Doolittle Walcott (1850-1927), an American Geologist and former Director of the United States Geological Survey sent Geikie a number of important largescale landscape photographs of parts of western Canada in 1923.

1924

Sir Archibald died on the 10th November aged 88. His funeral took place on 14th November 1924. Geikie was buried at St. Bartholomew’s Church, Derby Road Cemetery, Haslemere. Various members of the family and members of the Geological Society attended, including Sir John Smith Flett, (1869-1947), Sir Aubrey Strathen, (1852-1928), and Walter Campbell Smith, (1887-1988). The gravestone is probably made of Peterhead granite in the form of a Celtic cross with a rope decoration. “A long life’s work: an autobiography” by Sir Archibald Geikie was published in the summer of that year.

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