Henry Hicks (geologist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Hicks
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| Born | 26 May 1837 |
| Died | 18 November 1899 (aged 62) |
| Education | Dr of Medicine, St And (1862) |
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| Spouse(s) |
Mary Richardson
(m. 1864) |
| Children | 3 daughters |
| Awards | Bigsby Medal (1883) |
Henry Hicks (1837–1899) was a Welsh doctor and a scientist who studied rocks and fossils (a geologist) in the 1800s. He made important discoveries about ancient life forms and the Earth's history.
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About Henry Hicks
Henry Hicks was born on May 26, 1837, in St Davids, Wales. His father, Thomas Hicks, was a surgeon. In 1864, Henry married Mary Richardson, and they had three daughters. He passed away on November 18, 1899, in Hendon, London.
Henry Hicks' Medical Career
Henry Hicks studied medicine at Guy's Hospital in London. In 1862, he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. He also received a license from the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries.
Hicks first worked as a doctor in his hometown of St Davids. In 1871, he moved his medical practice to Hendon, London. He became very interested in mental health. In 1878, he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of St Andrews. Later, he became the head of a special hospital (an asylum) in Hendon Grove. This hospital was just for women dealing with mental disorders.
Henry Hicks' Geology Career
While in St Davids, Henry Hicks met a scientist named John William Salter. Salter studied fossils, and Hicks became very interested in this field.
Early Discoveries in Wales
Hicks found a new type of ancient shell, called a Lingulella, in the red rocks near his home. These rocks were from the Cambrian period, a very old time in Earth's history. He wrote about his discovery to the Geological Society of London. This helped him gain recognition and a grant from the British Science Association.
In 1868, Hicks discovered about thirty more Cambrian species. After this, he also started looking for fossils in even older rock layers (called Paleozoic-era strata).
Geology in London
When Hicks started his medical work in Hendon Grove, he had more time to study the geological deposits in Middlesex. He named two types of very old rocks found around St Davids: Pebidian and Dimetian. These names were still used by scientists many years later.
Hicks wrote 63 scientific papers. These were published in important journals like the Geological Magazine and the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society. He was also the first person to find fossils from the Silurian period in the Morte Slates Formation.
Awards and Leadership
Henry Hicks was very active in the British Science Association. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society starting in 1885. He also served as president of the Geologists' Association from 1883 to 1885.
In 1883, he received the Bigsby Medal from the Geological Society. He later became a secretary for the society from 1890 to 1893. From 1896 to 1898, he was the 46th president of the Geological Society. At the time of his death in 1899, he was serving as vice-president.
Fossils Described by Hicks
Henry Hicks described several new fossil species during his career. Some of these include:
- Agnostus cambrensis (now called Peronopsis (Peronopsis) integra)
- Conocoryphe lyellii (now called Bailiella lyellii)
- Microdiscus sculptus
- Paradoxides harknessi (now called Eccaparadoxides harknessi)
- Plutonia sedgwickii (now called Plutonides sedgwickii)
- Theca antiqua
Selected Publications
Hicks published many scientific papers. One example is:
- HICKS, H. Results of recent Researches in some Bone-caves in North Wales (Fynnon Bueno and Cae Gwyn), By Henry Hicks, M.D., F.R.S., F.G.S.; with a Note on the Animal Remains, by W. Davies, Esq., F.G.S. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society for February 1886.
