Cyril James Stubblefield
Encyclopedia
Sir James Stubblefield FRS (1901–1999) was a British geologist. Stubblefield was the President of the Geological Society of London
from 1958 to 1960 and was the Director of the Geological Survey of Great Britain from 1960 until 1966.
, only son of a gardener and his wife. He gained a scholarship to the Perse School, Cambridge.
and BSc in geology in 1923, with first class honours.
Sir Cyril James Stubblefield was a member of the Links Club
of the City and Guilds College whilst at Imperial College.
, gaining his PhD in 1925 and also the Daniel Pidgeon fund of the Geological Society, with Oliver Bulman
. In 1929 he published the Handbook of the Geology of Great Britain with J. W. Evans
.
In 1928 Stubblefield joined the Geological Survey
, at the Museum of Practical Geology, where he soon joined the palaeontology department. Here he worked on the Lower Palaeozoic fossils of Shrewsbury, the Carboniferous
of the coalfields of south Wales
and Kent
, and other rocks in Cumberland
.
Stubblefield became chief palaeontologist of the Geological Survey and Museum in 1947 and director in 1960, until retirement in 1966. Following reorganisation he became the first director of the Institute of Geological Sciences, later renamed the British Geological Survey.
from 1934 to 1948, and subsequently president and compiler of the trilobite
section of Zoological Record. He was president of the Geological Society (1958–60), receiving the Murchison Fund, the Bigsby medal
(1945), and the Murchison Medal
(1951). He received his London DSc in 1942, and was elected FRS in 1944. Stubblefield was knighted in 1965. He was president of the Sixth International Congress of Carboniferous Geology and Stratigraphy in 1967. A trilobite genus, Stubblefieldia, was named in his honour, as were many other species.
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"...
from 1958 to 1960 and was the Director of the Geological Survey of Great Britain from 1960 until 1966.
Early life
Stubblefield was born in CambridgeCambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, only son of a gardener and his wife. He gained a scholarship to the Perse School, Cambridge.
Education
After work as a junior factory chemist Stubblefield moved to London to continue his education at evening classes at the South-Western Polytechnic (later Chelsea College). He gained a further scholarship to Imperial College, London where he gained an ARCSAssociate of the Royal College of Science
The Associateship of the Royal College of Science is an honorary degree-equivalent award presented by Imperial College London to students who complete an undergraduate course of study in science...
and BSc in geology in 1923, with first class honours.
Sir Cyril James Stubblefield was a member of the Links Club
Links Club
The Links club is a tie club of the City and Guilds College at Imperial College, London.-Background:The Links Club is a club for students and alumni of the Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College, formerly The City and Guilds College...
of the City and Guilds College whilst at Imperial College.
Career
Stubblefield was appointed demonstrator in geology at Imperial and began research into the early Palaeozoic rocks of ShropshireShropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, gaining his PhD in 1925 and also the Daniel Pidgeon fund of the Geological Society, with Oliver Bulman
Oliver Bulman
Oliver Meredith Boone Bulman was a British palaeontologist. He was Woodwardian Professor of Geology at Cambridge University.-Early life:...
. In 1929 he published the Handbook of the Geology of Great Britain with J. W. Evans
John William Evans (geologist)
John William Evans was a British geologist. Evans was president of the Geological Society of London 1924-6. He received its Murchison Medal in 1922....
.
In 1928 Stubblefield joined the Geological Survey
British Geological Survey
The British Geological Survey is a partly publicly funded body which aims to advance geoscientific knowledge of the United Kingdom landmass and its continental shelf by means of systematic surveying, monitoring and research. The BGS headquarters are in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, but other centres...
, at the Museum of Practical Geology, where he soon joined the palaeontology department. Here he worked on the Lower Palaeozoic fossils of Shrewsbury, the Carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
of the coalfields of south Wales
South Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of south Wales that is rich with coal deposits, especially the South Wales Valleys.-The coalfield area:...
and Kent
Kent coalfield
The Kent Coalfield was a coalfield located in the eastern part of the English county of Kent.Coal was discovered in the area in 1890 while borings for an early Channel Tunnel project were taking place and the resultant Shakespeare colliery lasted until 1915...
, and other rocks in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
.
Stubblefield became chief palaeontologist of the Geological Survey and Museum in 1947 and director in 1960, until retirement in 1966. Following reorganisation he became the first director of the Institute of Geological Sciences, later renamed the British Geological Survey.
Honours
Stubblefield was secretary of the Palaeontographical SocietyPalaeontographical Society
The Palaeontographical Society is a learned society established in 1847 and specifically devoted to the advancement of palaeontographical knowledge, i.e., palaeontology...
from 1934 to 1948, and subsequently president and compiler of the trilobite
Trilobite
Trilobites are a well-known fossil group of extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita. The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record defines the base of the Atdabanian stage of the Early Cambrian period , and they flourished throughout the lower Paleozoic era before...
section of Zoological Record. He was president of the Geological Society (1958–60), receiving the Murchison Fund, the Bigsby medal
Bigsby Medal
The Bigsby Medal is a medal of the Geological Society of London established by John Jeremiah Bigsby. It is awarded for the study of American geology and recipients must be under 45 years of age.-Bigsby Medalists:List of Medallists...
(1945), and the Murchison Medal
Murchison Medal
An award established by Roderick Murchison, who died in 1871. One of the closing public acts of Murchison’s life was the founding of a chair of geology and mineralogy in the University of Edinburgh. Under his will there was established the Murchison Medal and geological fund to be awarded annually...
(1951). He received his London DSc in 1942, and was elected FRS in 1944. Stubblefield was knighted in 1965. He was president of the Sixth International Congress of Carboniferous Geology and Stratigraphy in 1967. A trilobite genus, Stubblefieldia, was named in his honour, as were many other species.