William Jory Henwood facts for kids
William Jory Henwood (born January 16, 1805 – died August 5, 1875) was a smart Cornish scientist who studied rocks and mines. He was born in a place called Perran Wharf in Cornwall, England. He became a very respected scientist, even becoming a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This means he was part of a special group of top scientists.
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Early Life and Learning
William started working when he was 17 years old in 1822. He got a job as a clerk at the Perran Foundry. This was a big factory owned by the Fox family. His father had worked there before him. William also had the chance to learn about science. He was taught by Charles Fox at his home.
Studying Mines and Metals
William quickly became very interested in how mines worked. He also wanted to learn about the rocks that contained metals, called metalliferous deposits. The Fox family and other important local people helped him. They gave him money to study the mines in Cornwall.
He came up with his own ideas about how metal lodes (which are like veins of ore) were formed deep inside the Earth. William had some disagreements with another scientist, Robert Were Fox. Robert was also studying similar things.
Important Jobs and Recognition
In 1832, William got an important job. He became the assay-master and supervisor of tin for the duchy of Cornwall. This meant he was in charge of checking the quality of tin for the Duke of Cornwall. He worked in this role until 1838.
While doing this job, William also started sharing his scientific findings. From 1826, he wrote papers about mining. He sent these papers to important groups like the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall and the Geological Society of London. Because of his excellent work, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1840. This was a huge honor for a scientist.
Work Around the World
William's knowledge was needed in other countries too. In 1843, he traveled to Brazil. There, he took charge of the Gongo Soco mines. After his time in Brazil, he went to India. The Indian government asked him to study rocks that contained metals there.
By 1858, William's health was not as good. He decided to retire from his work. He then settled down in Penzance, a town in Cornwall.
