William Harper Twelvetrees
Encyclopedia
William Harper Twelvetrees (1848 – 7 November 1919) was an English
Australia
n geologist
who was important the characterisation of the geology of Tasmania
.
Twelvetrees was born in Bedfordshire
, England, in 1848, and educated at London
and in Germany
. From 1871 to 1880 he was employed at copper mines in eastern Russia
, and from 1882 to 1890 at the Lidjessi silver-lead mines in Asia Minor of which he was general manager from 1884. He came to Tasmania in 1890 and followed various occupations until August 1899, when he was appointed Tasmanian government geologist and chief inspector of mines.
In 1914 the office of chief inspector of mines was made a separate one, but Twelvetrees continued to act as government geologist and director of the geological survey of Tasmania until his death. He worked with energy and enthusiasm and his department grew in size and importance. He also interested himself in the Launceston
Museum, which was extended so that the excellent geological survey collection of specimens could be housed. He died at Launceston after a short illness on 7 November 1919. He was married twice, (1) to Miss Austen, (2) to Miss Genders who survived him. He was awarded the Clarke Medal
of the Royal Society of New South Wales
in 1912.
His writing will be found in the bulletins of the Tasmanian geological survey, at an extraordinary time in the West Coast, Tasmania
region mining history - when the rapid change and developments in that region were not to be repeated in the following hundred years.
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...
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n 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...
who was important the characterisation of the geology of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
Twelvetrees was born in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England, in 1848, and educated at 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...
and in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. From 1871 to 1880 he was employed at copper mines in eastern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and from 1882 to 1890 at the Lidjessi silver-lead mines in Asia Minor of which he was general manager from 1884. He came to Tasmania in 1890 and followed various occupations until August 1899, when he was appointed Tasmanian government geologist and chief inspector of mines.
In 1914 the office of chief inspector of mines was made a separate one, but Twelvetrees continued to act as government geologist and director of the geological survey of Tasmania until his death. He worked with energy and enthusiasm and his department grew in size and importance. He also interested himself in the Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
Museum, which was extended so that the excellent geological survey collection of specimens could be housed. He died at Launceston after a short illness on 7 November 1919. He was married twice, (1) to Miss Austen, (2) to Miss Genders who survived him. He was awarded the Clarke Medal
Clarke Medal
The Clarke Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of New South Wales for distinguished work in the Natural sciences.Named in honour of the Reverend William Branwhite Clarke, one of the founders of the Society...
of the Royal Society of New South Wales
Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821...
in 1912.
His writing will be found in the bulletins of the Tasmanian geological survey, at an extraordinary time in the West Coast, Tasmania
West Coast, Tasmania
The West Coast of Tasmania is the part of the state that is strongly associated with wilderness, mining and tourism, rough country and isolation...
region mining history - when the rapid change and developments in that region were not to be repeated in the following hundred years.
Example of reports
- Twelvetrees, W.H. (1903), The Progress of the Mineral Industry of Tasmania for the Quarter Ending 31 December, 1902.
- Twelvetrees, W.H. (1905), The Progress of the Mineral Industry of Tasmania for the Quarter Ending 31 December, 1904.