Harry B. Whittington facts for kids

Harry Blackmore Whittington (1916–2010) was a British scientist who studied fossils. He was a palaeontologist, which means he studied ancient life. Whittington made big discoveries about fossils from the Cambrian Period. This was a time when many new types of animals appeared quickly. He especially studied trilobites, which were ancient sea creatures. His work helped us understand the "Cambrian explosion" and how different animal groups started. He also taught how to properly name and describe delicate fossils.

After finishing his PhD, Whittington worked in many places outside Britain. He taught at the University of Rangoon in Burma and Ginling Women's College in China. After World War II, he became a professor at Harvard University. He also worked as a curator at the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Later in his career, he returned to England. He became a professor at the University of Cambridge.

About Harry B. Whittington

Growing Up and Learning

Harry Whittington was born in Handsworth, England, on March 24, 1916. This was during World War I. His father, Harry, was a gunsmith. Sadly, his father died in 1918 from influenza when Harry was only two years old. Harry had an older sister named Edith Mary. His middle name, Blackmore, came from his mother, Edith Mabel Blackmore.

His family lived with his grandparents and were very religious Methodists. Church was an important part of their lives. Harry went to church regularly until he finished his education. He stayed committed to his faith throughout his life. His mother encouraged him to get an education. His uncle, Ernest Blackmore, who had an engineering degree, inspired him to study science.

Harry went to Road Infant School, then Grove Lane School, and Handsworth Grammar School. He was a talented athlete, good at cricket, swimming, and football. In 1933, his strong academic results earned him a scholarship to the University of Birmingham. He graduated with top honors in 1936. His geology teacher, Professor Leonard J. Wills, was a very important mentor.

After graduation, Professor Wills helped Harry get a research scholarship. Harry started his PhD to study the ancient life of the Berwyn Hills in North Wales. He focused mainly on trilobites. His first scientific papers were published in 1938. He earned his doctorate degree in 1937. Wills then helped him get a fellowship to study at Yale University in the United States from 1938 to 1940.

While in America, Harry became good friends with G. Arthur Cooper. Cooper was a curator at the United States National Museum. Harry also met Dorothy Emma Arnold, who worked at the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale. She later became his wife. However, his time at Yale was cut short by World War II.

His Career Journey

Harry Whittington did not want to join the war or return to England right away. So, he took a job teaching at Judson College in Burma. This college was part of the University of Rangoon. He moved to Rangoon with his new wife in August 1940. But his teaching job ended when the college closed after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

He and his wife volunteered to work with a medical group in China. In January 1942, while in Chengdu, he was invited to teach at Ginling Women's College. This college was supported by the American Baptist Mission. By the end of the war in 1945, he had become a professor. In August, he was invited to be a lecturer at the University of Birmingham. He started teaching there in October.

He immediately began studying trilobites, especially those from North America. He also mentored a research student, Frank H. T. Rhodes. In 1949, he received an invitation from Harvard University. He became an Associate Professor in the Department of Geology. He also became the Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology.

After 17 years in America, he received another invitation in 1966. This time it was from the University of Cambridge. He became the Woodwardian Professor of Geology, which is a very old and important position in Britain. He moved to Cambridge in the autumn. He also became a Professorial Fellow at Sidney Sussex College. In 1983, at age 67, he retired from his roles.

Personal Life

Harry Whittington remained a Christian throughout his life. His early jobs in Burma and China were at Christian-supported colleges. He met Dorothy Emma Arnold (1904–1997) during his research at Yale. They married on August 10, 1940. They did not have children of their own. However, they cared deeply for his sister's children and Dorothy's younger sisters. Dorothy had poor health later in life and became almost blind before she passed away in 1997.

Harry Whittington was known for his good health. But eventually, age caught up with him. In 2010, he became physically weak and suffered from several health issues, including pneumonia. He passed away in Cambridge Hospital at 94 years old. His funeral was held on July 16 at St Mary and St Michael Church.

Awards and Recognition

Harry Whittington received many important awards for his work. These include:

• Fellow of the Royal Society (1971)
• Mary Clark Thompson Medal from the National Academy of Sciences (1990)
• Lapworth Medal from the Palaeontological Association (2000)
• International Prize for Biology (2001)
• Wollaston Medal (2001)

His Legacy in Science

Harry Whittington's contributions to palaeontology are remembered through many fossils named after him. For example:

• Whittingtonia (an arthropod)
• Ceraurus whittingtoni (another arthropod)
• Harrycaris whittingtoni (an arthropod)
• Eostropheodonta whittingtoni (a brachiopod, a type of shelled marine animal)
• Aethiosolen whittingtoni (a nautiloid, an ancient sea creature). Whittington himself called these fossils "gas pipes" because of their straight, tube-like shape.