John Bicknell Auden
Encyclopedia
John Bicknell Auden was an English geologist
and explorer, and an official with the World Health Organization
.
Auden was born in York, the second son of George Augustus Auden
and older brother of W. H. Auden
. He was educated at St Edmund's School, Hindhead
, Surrey, then at Marlborough College
and at Cambridge University. In 1926 he joined the Geological Survey of India
, where he remained until he retired in the early 1950s.
His exploration and mapping (with three other climbers) high Karakoram
region of the Himalayas
was the subject of Eric Shipton
's Blank on the Map (1938). In 1940 he was elected president of the Geological Institute of Presidency College, Calcutta. In 1945-51, he was engaged in investigating all the major dam sites, hydro electric projects, irrigation works and water supply schemes of India
.
In 1960 he joined the World Health Organization
, where he worked until 1970. After retiring he lived in London, where he served for two years as vice-president of the Geological Society of London
.
He was married twice, first to Margaret Marshall (the marriage ended in divorce), then, in 1940, to Sheila Bonnerjee, a granddaughter of Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee
, first president and founder of the Indian National Congress
; they had two daughters. He was a convert to Roman Catholicism.
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 explorer, and an official with the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
.
Auden was born in York, the second son of George Augustus Auden
George Augustus Auden
George Augustus Auden was an English physician, professor of public health, school medical officer, and writer on archaeological subjects....
and older brother of W. H. Auden
W. H. Auden
Wystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
. He was educated at St Edmund's School, Hindhead
Hindhead
Hindhead is a village in Surrey, England, about 11 miles south-west of Guildford. Neighbouring settlements include Haslemere, Grayshott and Beacon Hill. Hindhead is the highest village in Surrey...
, Surrey, then at Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
and at Cambridge University. In 1926 he joined the Geological Survey of India
Geological Survey of India
Geological Survey of India , established in 1851 is a government organization in India which is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines of Union Government of India for conducting geological surveys and studies. It is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and the second oldest...
, where he remained until he retired in the early 1950s.
His exploration and mapping (with three other climbers) high Karakoram
Karakoram
The Karakoram, or Karakorum , is a large mountain range spanning the borders between Pakistan, India and China, located in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan , Ladakh , and Xinjiang region,...
region of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
was the subject of Eric Shipton
Eric Shipton
Eric Earle Shipton CBE was a distinguished British Himalayan mountaineer.-Early years:Born in Ceylon in 1907 where his father, a tea planter, died before he was three years old. His mother buried her grief by taking Eric and his sister Marge and travelling constantly for the next five years...
's Blank on the Map (1938). In 1940 he was elected president of the Geological Institute of Presidency College, Calcutta. In 1945-51, he was engaged in investigating all the major dam sites, hydro electric projects, irrigation works and water supply schemes of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
In 1960 he joined the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
, where he worked until 1970. After retiring he lived in London, where he served for two years as vice-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"...
.
He was married twice, first to Margaret Marshall (the marriage ended in divorce), then, in 1940, to Sheila Bonnerjee, a granddaughter of Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee
Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee
Womesh Chandra Banerjee was an Indian politician and the first president of Indian National Congress.- Early days :...
, first president and founder of the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
; they had two daughters. He was a convert to Roman Catholicism.