Wilfred Hudleston Hudleston facts for kids
Wilfred Hudleston Hudleston (born June 2, 1828 – died January 29, 1909) was an important English scientist. He studied rocks and the Earth (a geologist), birds (an ornithologist), and ancient fossils (a paleontologist). He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a big honor for scientists.
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Early Life and Learning
Wilfred was born in York, England, in 1828. His family name was Simpson, but they changed it to Hudleston in 1867. He went to good schools, first St Peter's School, York and then Uppingham School. Later, he studied at St John's College, Cambridge.
While at Cambridge, Wilfred was very interested in birds. He had started studying them when he was still in school. In 1855, he traveled to Lapland to collect birds with other scientists. He also visited places like Algeria, Greece, and Turkey to add to his collections.
Choosing a Path
From 1862 to 1867, Wilfred studied natural history and chemistry. He took classes at the University of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Chemistry in London. At first, he wasn't sure if he wanted to focus on chemistry or geology. But a scientist named John Morris helped him choose geology.
A Career in Geology
After his studies, Wilfred settled in London and began his work as a geologist. He was very active in the Geologists' Association, a group for people who study geology. He helped organize their trips and was even their president from 1881 to 1883.
He also joined the Geological Society of London in 1867. He became their secretary and later their president from 1892 to 1894. Wilfred wrote many important papers for their Journal. One of his big projects was a detailed book about ancient snail-like fossils called gastropods found in a type of rock called the Inferior Oolite. This book was very long and had many pictures of fossils. He gave his large collection of these fossils to the Sedgwick Museum in Cambridge.
Later Discoveries and Honors
In 1884, Wilfred Hudleston was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. He also explored the English Channel in 1886 and 1887, looking for mollusca (like snails and clams). He helped start a special lab for studying sea life in Cullercoats, Northumberland.
Wilfred received the Wollaston Medal in 1897, another very important award for geologists. He also traveled to India in 1895. In 1908, he received a gold medal from the British Ornithologists' Union for his work with birds.
He was also very generous. In 1906, he helped pay for a new building for the Dove Marine Laboratory. This lab is now part of the University of Newcastle and is used to study ocean life.
Wilfred Hudleston died in 1909 at the age of 80. He is buried at St Andrew's Church in London. His tombstone says he was "An eminent scientist whose work and research did much towards the advancement of geology."
His Published Works
Wilfred Hudleston wrote many scientific papers and books during his life. Here are a few examples of his important works:
- He wrote about the chemical makeup of rocks from the Lizard District in 1877.
- He published a book called The geology of Palestine in 1885.
- His large book on A monograph of the inferior Oolite Gasteropoda was published in parts from 1887 to 1896.
- He also co-authored a book about the Dove family in 1910.
Fossils Named After Him
Because of his important work with fossils, several ancient creatures have been named in his honor:
- Pectinatites (arkellites) hudlestoni: This is a type of Ammonitida, an ancient sea creature with a spiral shell.
- Myophorella hudlestoni: This is a type of Bivalvia, which are like ancient clams.
- Hudlestonia: This is another type of Ammonitida.
- Hudlestonella: This is a type of Gastropoda, an ancient snail-like creature.
