Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton
Encyclopedia
Sir Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton, 10th Baronet FRS (13 November 1806 – 6 April 1881) was an English
palaeontologist and Conservative
politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1830 and 1881.
Egerton was the son of Sir Philip Grey Egerton, 9th Baronet
and his wife Rebecca du Pre daughter of Josias du Pre of Wilton Park, Beaconsfield. He was educated at Eton
and Christ Church, Oxford
, where he graduated BA
in 1828. While at college his interest in geology
was aroused by the lectures of William Buckland
, and by his acquaintance with William D. Conybeare. HE inherited the baronetcy on the death of his father in 1829. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1831, and was a trustee of the British Museum
.
While travelling in Switzerland
with Lord Cole
(later to be 3rd earl
of Enniskillen
) they were introduced to Prof. L Agassiz
at Neufchâtel
, and determined to make a special study of fossil
fish
. During the course of fifty years they gradually gathered together two of the largest and finest of private collections—that of Sir Philip Grey Egerton being at Oulton Park
, Tarporley
, Cheshire
.
Egerton described the structure and affinities of numerous species
in the publications of the Geological Society of London
, the Geological Magazine and the Decades of the Geological Survey; and in recognition of his services the Wollaston medal
was awarded to him in 1873 by the Geological Society. He was also a member of Grillion's Club
, and compiled a history of the club's first fifty years in a book: 'Grillion's Club: From Its Origin in 1812 To Its Fiftieth Anniversary', published in 1880.
Egerton was a Deputy Lieutenant
and J.P.
for Cheshire and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Cheshire Yeoman Cavalry. He was elected Member of Parliament
for the city of Chester in 1830 but lost the seat in 1831. He stood unsuccessfully at Cheshire South in 1832 but was elected in 1835 and held the seat until 1868. He was elected MP for West Cheshire
from 1868 until his death in London in 1881.
Egerton's collection of fossil fishes is now in the British Museum
. He is commemorated in the name of the Rusty-fronted Barwing
Actinodura egertoni.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
palaeontologist and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1830 and 1881.
Egerton was the son of Sir Philip Grey Egerton, 9th Baronet
Grey Egerton Baronets
The Egerton, later Grey Egerton Baronetcy, of Egerton and Oulton in the County of Chester, is a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 5 April 1617 for Roland Egerton. He later represented Wootton Bassett in Parliament...
and his wife Rebecca du Pre daughter of Josias du Pre of Wilton Park, Beaconsfield. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, where he graduated BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1828. While at college his interest in geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
was aroused by the lectures of William Buckland
William Buckland
The Very Rev. Dr William Buckland DD FRS was an English geologist, palaeontologist and Dean of Westminster, who wrote the first full account of a fossil dinosaur, which he named Megalosaurus...
, and by his acquaintance with William D. Conybeare. HE inherited the baronetcy on the death of his father in 1829. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1831, and was a trustee of the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
While travelling in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
with Lord Cole
William Willoughby Cole, 3rd Earl of Enniskillen
William Willoughby Cole, 3rd Earl of Enniskillen FRS , known by his courtesy title of Viscount Cole from 1807 to 1840, was a British palaeontologist and Conservative Member of Parliament....
(later to be 3rd earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
of Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
) they were introduced to Prof. L Agassiz
Louis Agassiz
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz was a Swiss paleontologist, glaciologist, geologist and a prominent innovator in the study of the Earth's natural history. He grew up in Switzerland and became a professor of natural history at University of Neuchâtel...
at Neufchâtel
Neufchâtel
- Place-names :*Neufchâtel-Hardelot, a French commune in Nord-Pas-de-Calais*Neufchâtel-sur-Aisne, a French commune in Picardy*Neufchâtel-en-Bray, a French commune in Normandy where the cheese originates*Neufchâtel, Quebec, a place in Quebec- Others :...
, and determined to make a special study of fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
. During the course of fifty years they gradually gathered together two of the largest and finest of private collections—that of Sir Philip Grey Egerton being at Oulton Park
Oulton Park
Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about from Winsford, from Chester city centre, from Northwich and from Warrington with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was...
, Tarporley
Tarporley
Tarporley is a large village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England....
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
.
Egerton described the structure and affinities of numerous species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in the publications of the Geological Society of London
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
, the Geological Magazine and the Decades of the Geological Survey; and in recognition of his services the Wollaston medal
Wollaston Medal
The Wollaston Medal is a scientific award for geology, the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London.The medal is named after William Hyde Wollaston, and was first awarded in 1831...
was awarded to him in 1873 by the Geological Society. He was also a member of Grillion's Club
Grillion's
Grillion's is a London dining club founded in 1812. It was founded by the British diplomat Stratford Canning as a meeting place free from the violence of political controversy. The club had no premises but met at Grillion's Hotel on Albemarle Street, from which it took its name. Later it would...
, and compiled a history of the club's first fifty years in a book: 'Grillion's Club: From Its Origin in 1812 To Its Fiftieth Anniversary', published in 1880.
Egerton was a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
and J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Cheshire and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Cheshire Yeoman Cavalry. He was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the city of Chester in 1830 but lost the seat in 1831. He stood unsuccessfully at Cheshire South in 1832 but was elected in 1835 and held the seat until 1868. He was elected MP for West Cheshire
West Cheshire (UK Parliament constituency)
West Cheshire is a former parliamentary constituency, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
from 1868 until his death in London in 1881.
Egerton's collection of fossil fishes is now in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. He is commemorated in the name of the Rusty-fronted Barwing
Rusty-fronted Barwing
The Rusty-fronted Barwing is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests....
Actinodura egertoni.