Frank Rutley
Encyclopedia
Frank Rutley an English
geologist
and petrographer
, was born at Dover
on 14 May 1842. He was educated partly at Bonn
, but his interest in geology was kindled at the Royal School of Mines
, where he studied from 1862-64. He then joined the army, and served as lieutenant until 1867, when he became an Assistant Geologist on the Geological Survey.
Working in the Lake District
, Rutley began to make a special study of rocks and rock-forming mineral
s, and soon qualified as acting petrographer on the Geological Survey. For several years be worked in this capacity at the Museum in Jermyn Street: he described the volcanic rocks
of E. Somerset and the Bristol district in 1876, and wrote special memoirs on The Eruptive Rocks of Brent Tor
(1878), and on The Felsitic Lavas of England and Wales (1885).
Rutley was the author of an exceedingly useful little book on Mineralogy
(1874; 12th ed., 1900); also of The Study of Rocks (1879; 2nd ed., 1881), Rock-forming Minerals (1888), and Granites and Greenstones (1894); and of a number of petrographical papers, dealing with perlitic and spherulitic structures, with the rocks of the Malvern Hills
, etc. In 1882 he was appointed lecturer on mineralogy in the Royal College of Science
, and held this post until ill-health compelled him to retire in 1898. He died in London
on 16 May 1904.
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 petrographer
Petrography
Petrography is a branch of petrology that focuses on detailed descriptions of rocks. Someone who studies petrography is called a petrographer. The mineral content and the textural relationships within the rock are described in detail. Petrographic descriptions start with the field notes at the...
, was born at Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
on 14 May 1842. He was educated partly at Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, but his interest in geology was kindled at the Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines comprises the departments of Earth Science and Engineering, and Materials at Imperial College London.- History :The Royal School of Mines was established in 1851, as the Government School of Mines and Science Applied to the Arts...
, where he studied from 1862-64. He then joined the army, and served as lieutenant until 1867, when he became an Assistant Geologist on the Geological Survey.
Working in 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...
, Rutley began to make a special study of rocks and rock-forming mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
s, and soon qualified as acting petrographer on the Geological Survey. For several years be worked in this capacity at the Museum in Jermyn Street: he described the volcanic rocks
Igneous rock
Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava...
of E. Somerset and the Bristol district in 1876, and wrote special memoirs on The Eruptive Rocks of Brent Tor
Brent Tor
Brent Tor is a tor on the western edge of Dartmoor, approximately five miles north of Tavistock, rising to 1100ft above sea level. The Tor is surmounted by the Church of St Michael, the parish church of the village of Brentor, which lies below the Tor.-Geology:Brent Tor is a unique example of an...
(1878), and on The Felsitic Lavas of England and Wales (1885).
Rutley was the author of an exceedingly useful little book on Mineralogy
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
(1874; 12th ed., 1900); also of The Study of Rocks (1879; 2nd ed., 1881), Rock-forming Minerals (1888), and Granites and Greenstones (1894); and of a number of petrographical papers, dealing with perlitic and spherulitic structures, with the rocks of the Malvern Hills
Malvern Hills
The Malvern Hills are a range of hills in the English counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and a small area of northern Gloucestershire, dominating the surrounding countryside and the towns and villages of the district of Malvern...
, etc. In 1882 he was appointed lecturer on mineralogy in the Royal College of Science
Royal College of Science
The Royal College of Science was a higher education institution located in South Kensington; it was a constituent college of Imperial College London from 1907 until it was wholly absorbed by Imperial in 2002. Alumni include H. G. Wells and Brian May and are distinguishable by the letters ARCS ...
, and held this post until ill-health compelled him to retire in 1898. He died 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...
on 16 May 1904.