James Gregory (mineralogist)
Encyclopedia
James Reynolds Gregory (December 29, 1832 —- December 15, 1899) was a noted 19th century British
mineralogist. He founded a mineral specimen business in 1858 which is today known as Gregory, Bottley
& Lloyd. Gregory's company had a reputation as one of the best in the business providing mineral samples for scientists as well as private collectors. He primarily bought his specimens at auction or from other collectors and dealers, rarely collecting from the field.
When he was sent in 1868 by diamond merchant Harry Emmanuel of London
's Hatton Garden
to Hopetown
, South Africa
to determine if claims of diamonds being found there were true, he investigated and reported back, that "The whole story of the Cape diamond discoveries is false, and is simply one of the many schemes for trying to promote the employment and expenditure of capital in searching for this pereachous (sic) substance in the colony".
He concluded by saying that any genuine diamonds had most likely been swallowed and excreted by wandering ostrich
es "from a far-distant region".
However, shortly thereafter, experts pronounced a stone that he had dismissed to be a "magnificent white diamond weighing 83½ carats" (16.7 g). This stone was to be known as the Star of South Africa, also known as the Dudley diamond.
The affair proved extremely embarrassing for him. For a number of years thereafter any lie or mis-statement about a diamond was dismissed as a "Gregory".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
mineralogist. He founded a mineral specimen business in 1858 which is today known as Gregory, Bottley
E. P. Bottley
Edward Percy Bottley was an English geologist and businessman. With his wife Winifred, Percy founded a geological dealership in Derby, England around 1928 which dealt largely in microscope slides. Bottley made 113 illustrations and in colour and black and white...
& Lloyd. Gregory's company had a reputation as one of the best in the business providing mineral samples for scientists as well as private collectors. He primarily bought his specimens at auction or from other collectors and dealers, rarely collecting from the field.
When he was sent in 1868 by diamond merchant Harry Emmanuel of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Hatton Garden
Hatton Garden
Hatton Garden is a street and area near Holborn in London, England. It is most famous for being London’s jewellery quarter and centre of the UK diamond trade, but the area is also now home to a diverse range of media and creative businesses....
to Hopetown
Hopetown
Hopetown lies at the edge of the Great Karoo in South Africa's Northern Cape province. It stands on an arid slope leading down to the Orange River. The first diamond discovered in South Africa, the Eureka Diamond, was found at Hopetown.-History:...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
to determine if claims of diamonds being found there were true, he investigated and reported back, that "The whole story of the Cape diamond discoveries is false, and is simply one of the many schemes for trying to promote the employment and expenditure of capital in searching for this pereachous (sic) substance in the colony".
He concluded by saying that any genuine diamonds had most likely been swallowed and excreted by wandering ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
es "from a far-distant region".
However, shortly thereafter, experts pronounced a stone that he had dismissed to be a "magnificent white diamond weighing 83½ carats" (16.7 g). This stone was to be known as the Star of South Africa, also known as the Dudley diamond.
The affair proved extremely embarrassing for him. For a number of years thereafter any lie or mis-statement about a diamond was dismissed as a "Gregory".