Henry T M Witham was the first English person to investigate the internal structure of fossil plants, and was a founder member of the Royal Geological Society.

Born Henry Silvertop, he married Eliza, daughter of Thomas Witham, esq. of Headlam, in the county of Durham

Durham

Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...

, and niece and heiress of William Witham, esq. of Cliffe

Cliffe

Cliffe could be*Cliffe, Kent, Kent*Cliffe, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire*Cliffe, Selby, North Yorkshire*Jess Cliffe , Valve Software*The Cliffe a residence in Peppermint Grove, Western Australia...

, in Richmondshire

Richmondshire

Richmondshire is a local government district of North Yorkshire, England. It covers a large northern area of the Yorkshire Dales including Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, Wensleydale and Coverdale, with the prominent Scots' Dyke and Scotch Corner along the centre. Teesdale lies to the north...

, North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...

, and thus inherited the Witham name and Coat of arms

Coat of arms

A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...

.
Though having no botanical training, he applied to plants James Nicol

James Nicol

James Nicol , Scottish geologist, was born at Traquair, near Innerleithen, in Peeblesshire.His father, the Rev. James Nicol , was minister of Traquair, and acquired some celebrity as a poet. Educated at Edinburgh University , James Nicol attended the lectures of Robert Jameson, gaining a keen...

's method of examing rocks by slicing thin sections of them. His findings were published in his 1833 book The Internal Structure of Fossil Vegetables found in the Carboniferous and Oolitic

Oolitic

Oolitic may refer to:* Oolite, a sedimentary rock consisting of ooids* Oolitic, Indiana, a town whose name came from the underlying limestone...

 deposits of 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...

, illustrated by William MacGillivray

William MacGillivray

William MacGillivray FRSE MWS was a Scottish naturalist and ornithologist.MacGillivray was born in Old Aberdeen and brought up on the island of Harris. He returned to Aberdeen where he attended King's College, graduating MA in 1815. He studied medicine, but did not complete the course...

.

He worked strenuously for the Mechanics Institute, which provided education for the working classes and the Relief of the Sick Poor.