Robert Dick
Encyclopedia
Robert Dick Scottish
geologist
and botanist was born at Tullibody
, in Clackmannanshire
.
His father was an officer of excise
. At the age of thirteen, after receiving a good elementary education at the parish school, Dick was apprenticed to a baker
, and served for three years. In these early days he became interested in wildflower
s--he made a collection of plants and gradually acquired some knowledge of their names from an old encyclopaedia.
When his time was out he left Tullibody and gained employment as a journeyman baker at Leith
, Glasgow
and Greenock
. Meanwhile his father, who in 1826 had been removed to Thurso
, as supervisor of excise, advised his son to set up a baker's shop in that town. Dick went there in 1830, started in business as a baker, and worked laboriously until his death.
Throughout this period he zealously devoted himself to studying and collecting the plant
s, mollusca
and insect
s of a wide area of Caithness
, and his attention was directed soon after he settled in Thurso to the rocks
and fossil
s. In 1835 he first found remains of fossil fishes; but it was not till some years later that his interest became greatly stirred.
Then he obtained a copy of Hugh Miller
's Old Red Sandstone (published in 1841), and he began systematically to collect with hammer
and chisel the fossils from the Caithness flags. In 1845 he found remains of Holoptychius
and forwarded specimens to Miller, and he continued to send the best of his fossil fishes to that geologist, and to others after the death of Miller. In this way he largely contributed to the progress of geological knowledge, although he himself published nothing and was ever averse from publicity.
His herbarium
, which consisted of about 200 folios of mosses, fern
s and flowering plants "almost unique in its completeness," is now stored, with many of his fossils, in the museum at Thurso. Dick had a hard struggle for existence, especially through competition during his late years, when he was reduced almost to beggary: but of this few, if any, of his friends were aware until it was too late. A monument erected in the new cemetery at Thurso testifies to the respect which his life-work created, when the merits of this enthusiastic naturalist came to be appreciated. See Robert Dick, Baker of Thurso, Geologist and Botanist, by Samuel Smiles
(1878).
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
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 botanist was born at Tullibody
Tullibody
Tullibody is a town set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies north of the River Forth near to the foot of the Ochil Hills within the Forth Valley. The town is south-west of Alva, north-west of Alloa and east-northeast of Stirling...
, in Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire, often abbreviated to Clacks is a local government council area in Scotland, and a lieutenancy area, bordering Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Fife.As Scotland's smallest historic county, it is often nicknamed 'The Wee County'....
.
His father was an officer of excise
Excise
Excise tax in the United States is a indirect tax on listed items. Excise taxes can be and are made by federal, state and local governments and are far from uniform throughout the United States...
. At the age of thirteen, after receiving a good elementary education at the parish school, Dick was apprenticed to a baker
Baker
A baker is someone who bakes and sells bread, Cakes and similar foods may also be produced, as the traditional boundaries between what is produced by a baker as opposed to a pastry chef have blurred in recent decades...
, and served for three years. In these early days he became interested in wildflower
Wildflower
A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more...
s--he made a collection of plants and gradually acquired some knowledge of their names from an old encyclopaedia.
When his time was out he left Tullibody and gained employment as a journeyman baker at Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
. Meanwhile his father, who in 1826 had been removed to Thurso
Thurso
-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
, as supervisor of excise, advised his son to set up a baker's shop in that town. Dick went there in 1830, started in business as a baker, and worked laboriously until his death.
Throughout this period he zealously devoted himself to studying and collecting the plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s, mollusca
Mollusca
The Mollusca , common name molluscs or mollusksSpelled mollusks in the USA, see reasons given in Rosenberg's ; for the spelling mollusc see the reasons given by , is a large phylum of invertebrate animals. There are around 85,000 recognized extant species of molluscs. Mollusca is the largest...
and insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s of a wide area of Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
, and his attention was directed soon after he settled in Thurso to the rocks
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
and fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s. In 1835 he first found remains of fossil fishes; but it was not till some years later that his interest became greatly stirred.
Then he obtained a copy of Hugh Miller
Hugh Miller
Hugh Miller was a self-taught Scottish geologist and writer, folklorist and an evangelical Christian.- Life and work :Born in Cromarty, he was educated in a parish school where he reportedly showed a love of reading. At 17 he was apprenticed to a stonemason, and his work in quarries, together with...
's Old Red Sandstone (published in 1841), and he began systematically to collect with hammer
Geologist's hammer
A geologist's hammer, rock hammer, rock pick or geological pick is a hammer used for splitting and breaking rocks. In field geology, they are used to obtain a fresh surface of a rock in order to determine its composition, nature, mineralogy, history and field estimate of rock strength...
and chisel the fossils from the Caithness flags. In 1845 he found remains of Holoptychius
Holoptychius
Holoptychius is an extinct genus of porolepiform lobe-finned fish from the Devonian period. It is known from fossils worldwide.Holoptychius was streamlined predator about long, which fed on other bony fish. Its rounded scales and body form indicate that it could have swum quickly through the water...
and forwarded specimens to Miller, and he continued to send the best of his fossil fishes to that geologist, and to others after the death of Miller. In this way he largely contributed to the progress of geological knowledge, although he himself published nothing and was ever averse from publicity.
His herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
, which consisted of about 200 folios of mosses, fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s and flowering plants "almost unique in its completeness," is now stored, with many of his fossils, in the museum at Thurso. Dick had a hard struggle for existence, especially through competition during his late years, when he was reduced almost to beggary: but of this few, if any, of his friends were aware until it was too late. A monument erected in the new cemetery at Thurso testifies to the respect which his life-work created, when the merits of this enthusiastic naturalist came to be appreciated. See Robert Dick, Baker of Thurso, Geologist and Botanist, by Samuel Smiles
Samuel Smiles
-Early life:Born in Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland, the son of Samuel Smiles of Haddington and Janet Wilson of Dalkeith, Smiles was one of eleven surviving children. The family were strict Cameronians, though when Smiles grew up he was not one of them...
(1878).