Daniel Sharpe
Encyclopedia
Daniel Sharpe FRS was an English
geologist
. He was born at Nottingham Place, Marylebone
, Middlesex. He studied a number of mountainous formations in Great Britain
and Continental Europe
and arrived at important conclusions about cleavage
in rocks.
, and his uncle was Samuel Rogers
, the poet and literary figure, so Daniel was not abandoned. At the age of 16 he entered the counting house
of a Portuguese merchant in London. At the age of 25, after spending a year in Portugal
, he joined his elder brother as a partner in a Portuguese mercantile business.
As a geologist he first became known by his researches (1832–1840) on the geological structure of the neighbourhood of Lisbon
. He studied the Silurian rocks of the Lake District
and North Wales
(1842–1844), and afterwards investigated the structure of the Alps
(1854–1855). He was elected to the Royal Society
in 1850.
He published several essays on cleavage (1847–1852), and showed from the evidence of distortion of organic remains that the direction of the pressure producing contortions in the rocks was perpendicular to the planes of cleavage.
Most of his papers were published in the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, but one "On the Arrangement of the Foliation and Cleavage of the Rocks of the North of Scotland," was printed in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
in 1852. He was author also of a Monograph on the Cephalopoda of the Chalk, published by the Palaeontographical Society
(1853–1857). In 1856 he was elected president of the Geological Society of London
, but he died in London, from the effects of a riding accident, on the 31st of May that year.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
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...
. He was born at Nottingham Place, Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
, Middlesex. He studied a number of mountainous formations in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Continental Europe
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
and arrived at important conclusions about cleavage
Cleavage (geology)
This article is about rock cleavage, for cleavage in minerals see Cleavage Cleavage, in structural geology and petrology, describes a type of planar rock feature that develops as a result of deformation and metamorphism. The degree of deformation and metamorphism along with rock type determines the...
in rocks.
Life
Orphaned before his first birthday, he was looked after by a half-sister. His mother's family owned a bank in the City of LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, and his uncle was Samuel Rogers
Samuel Rogers
Samuel Rogers was an English poet, during his lifetime one of the most celebrated, although his fame has long since been eclipsed by his Romantic colleagues and friends Wordsworth, Coleridge and Byron...
, the poet and literary figure, so Daniel was not abandoned. At the age of 16 he entered the counting house
Counting house
A counting house, or compting house, literally is the building, room, office or suite in which a business firm carries on operations, particularly accounting. By a synecdoche, it has come to mean the accounting operations of a firm, however housed...
of a Portuguese merchant in London. At the age of 25, after spending a year in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, he joined his elder brother as a partner in a Portuguese mercantile business.
As a geologist he first became known by his researches (1832–1840) on the geological structure of the neighbourhood of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. He studied the Silurian rocks of the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
and North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
(1842–1844), and afterwards investigated the structure of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
(1854–1855). He was elected to 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 1850.
He published several essays on cleavage (1847–1852), and showed from the evidence of distortion of organic remains that the direction of the pressure producing contortions in the rocks was perpendicular to the planes of cleavage.
Most of his papers were published in the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, but one "On the Arrangement of the Foliation and Cleavage of the Rocks of the North of Scotland," was printed in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society of London. It was established in 1665, making it the first journal in the world exclusively devoted to science, and it has remained in continuous publication ever since, making it the world's...
in 1852. He was author also of a Monograph on the Cephalopoda of the Chalk, published by the Palaeontographical Society
Palaeontographical Society
The Palaeontographical Society is a learned society established in 1847 and specifically devoted to the advancement of palaeontographical knowledge, i.e., palaeontology...
(1853–1857). In 1856 he was elected president 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"...
, but he died in London, from the effects of a riding accident, on the 31st of May that year.