Cyril James Stubblefield facts for kids

Sir James Stubblefield (born 1901, died 1999) was a very important British geologist. A geologist is a scientist who studies the Earth, its rocks, and how it was formed. Sir James was the president of the Geological Society of London from 1958 to 1960. He also led the Geological Survey of Great Britain as its director from 1960 to 1966. This survey helps us understand the geology of the UK.

Early Life and School

James Stubblefield was born in Cambridge, England. He was the only son of a gardener and his wife. He was a very bright student. He won a special scholarship to attend The Perse School in Cambridge. A scholarship helps pay for school.

Learning More About Geology

After finishing school, James first worked as a junior chemist in a factory. But he wanted to learn more. So, he moved to London to continue his education. He took evening classes at the South-Western Polytechnic. This school is now known as Chelsea College.

He then earned another scholarship. This one was to Imperial College, London. There, he studied geology. In 1923, he earned his degree in geology. He got a BSc with top honors. This means he was one of the best students.

His Career in Geology

In 1923, James Stubblefield started working at Imperial College. He was a demonstrator in geology. This meant he helped teach students. He also began his own research. He studied very old rocks called Palaeozoic rocks. These rocks are found in an area called Shropshire. He worked on this research with another scientist, Oliver Bulman.

His work was supported by a special fund. This fund came from the Geological Society. In 1925, he earned his PhD. A PhD is a very high university degree. In 1929, he helped write an important book. It was called Handbook of the Geology of Great Britain. He wrote it with J. W. Evans.

In 1928, James joined the British Geological Survey. This is a government group that studies the geology of Britain. He worked in their palaeontology department. Palaeontology is the study of fossils. He studied old fossils from places like Shrewsbury. He also looked at rocks from coalfields. These were in south Wales, Kent, and Cumbria. These rocks are from a time called the Carboniferous period.

James became the chief palaeontologist in 1947. This means he was the head of the fossil study team. In 1953, he became an assistant director. Then, in 1960, he became the director. As director, he helped combine different groups. These groups became the Institute of Geological Sciences. He retired from his job in 1966.

Awards and Recognition

James Stubblefield received many honors for his work. He was the secretary of the Palaeontographical Society for many years. He also became its president. He helped write about trilobites for the Zoological Record. Trilobites are ancient sea creatures that are now extinct.

He was president of the Geological Society from 1958 to 1960. He received several important awards from them. These included the Murchison Fund, the Bigsby medal (in 1945), and the Murchison Medal (in 1951).

In 1942, he earned another high degree, a London DSc. In 1944, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very special honor for top scientists in the UK. In 1965, he was knighted. This means he was given the title "Sir."

He also led the Sixth International Congress of Carboniferous Geology and Stratigraphy in 1967. He was president of the Palaeontographical Society again from 1966 to 1970. A type of trilobite was even named after him: Stubblefieldia. Many other species were also named in his honor.

His Family Life

James Stubblefield married Muriel Yakchee in 1932. They had two sons, named Rodney and Peter. Sir James Stubblefield passed away in 1999. He was cremated in Ruislip.