Thomas Rupert Jones
Encyclopedia
Thomas Rupert Jones was an English
geologist
and palaeontologist born in London
.
He was born in Cheapside, London, the son of John Jones, silk merchant, and his wife Rhoda (née Burberry) Jones of Coventry. While at a private school at Ilminster
, his attention was attracted to geology by the fossil
s that are so abundant in the Lias quarries. In 1835 he was apprenticed to a surgeon
at Taunton
, and he completed his apprenticeship in 1842 at Newbury
in Berkshire
.
He was then engaged in practice mainly in London, until in 1849 he was appointed assistant secretary to the Geological Society of London
. In 1862 he was made professor of geology at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Having devoted his especial attention to fossil microzoa, he now became the highest authority in England on the Foraminifera
and Entomostraca
. He edited the 2nd edition of Mantells Medals of Creation (1854), the 3rd edition of Mantells Geological Excursions round the Isle of Wight (1854), and the 7th edition of Mantells Wonders of Geology (1857); he also edited the 2nd edition of Dixons Geology of Sussex (1878). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in June 1872 and was awarded the Lyell Medal
by the Geological Society in 1890. For many years he was specially interested in the geology of South Africa
.
He died and was buried at Chesham Bois
, Buckinghamshire. He had married twice: firstly to Mary, daughter of William Harris of Charing, Kent and secondly to Charlotte Ashburnham, daughter of Archibald Archer.
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...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and palaeontologist born in 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...
.
He was born in Cheapside, London, the son of John Jones, silk merchant, and his wife Rhoda (née Burberry) Jones of Coventry. While at a private school at Ilminster
Ilminster
Ilminster is a country town and civil parish in the countryside of south west Somerset, England, with a population of 4,781. Bypassed a few years ago, the town now lies just east of the intersection of the A303 and the A358...
, his attention was attracted to geology by the fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s that are so abundant in the Lias quarries. In 1835 he was apprenticed to a surgeon
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
at Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, and he completed his apprenticeship in 1842 at Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
He was then engaged in practice mainly in London, until in 1849 he was appointed assistant secretary to 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"...
. In 1862 he was made professor of geology at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Having devoted his especial attention to fossil microzoa, he now became the highest authority in England on the Foraminifera
Foraminifera
The Foraminifera , or forams for short, are a large group of amoeboid protists which are among the commonest plankton species. They have reticulating pseudopods, fine strands of cytoplasm that branch and merge to form a dynamic net...
and Entomostraca
Entomostraca
Entomostraca is a historical subclass of Crustacea, no longer in technical use. It was originally considered one of the two major lineages of crustaceans , combining all other classes – Branchiopoda, Cephalocarida, Ostracoda and Maxillopoda. The Ostracoda have the body enclosed in a bivalve...
. He edited the 2nd edition of Mantells Medals of Creation (1854), the 3rd edition of Mantells Geological Excursions round the Isle of Wight (1854), and the 7th edition of Mantells Wonders of Geology (1857); he also edited the 2nd edition of Dixons Geology of Sussex (1878). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in June 1872 and was awarded the Lyell Medal
Lyell Medal
The Lyell Medal is a prestigious annual scientific medal given by the Geological Society of London, equal in status to the Murchison Medal, awarded on the basis of research to an Earth Scientist of exceptional quality...
by the Geological Society in 1890. For many years he was specially interested in the geology of 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...
.
He died and was buried at Chesham Bois
Chesham Bois
Chesham Bois is a village in Buckinghamshire, England, adjacent to both Amersham and Chesham.-History:...
, Buckinghamshire. He had married twice: firstly to Mary, daughter of William Harris of Charing, Kent and secondly to Charlotte Ashburnham, daughter of Archibald Archer.