William Joscelyn Arkell
Encyclopedia
William Joscelyn Arkell M.A.
; D.Phil.; D.Sc.; FGS
.; FRS. (9 June 1904 – 18 April 1958) was a British
geologist
and paleontologist, regarded as the leading authority on the Jurassic Period during the middle part of the 20th century.
, Wiltshire
the youngest of a family of seven. His father, James Arkell was a partner in the prosperous family business Arkell's Brewery
(which is still family owned today). His mother, Laura Jane Arkell was an artist of notable ability.
He developed a deep love of the English countryside from an early age, gained in no doubt from the long family summer holidays spent at Swanage
, Dorset
. He was later educated at Wellington College
in Berkshire
, where his ability in Natural History
was recognised and he was able to devote significant time to develop his knowledge of this subject. Indeed, he was a regular prize winner for his Natural History
essays, one of which was a treatise on the Dorset
Robber Flies (Asilidae
). He also privately published a series of poems, Seven Poems, which reflected his love of nature and the outdoors.
), Arkell was admitted to New College, Oxford
. He had initially intended to read entomology
and despite being tutored by the great Julian Huxley
, he decided that his career lay in geology
and palaeontology. In 1925, he graduated with First Class Honours in geology. He remained at Oxford University after the award of the Burdett-Coutts research scholarship. His research topic involved the taxonomy
of the bivalves from the Upper Jurassic Corallian beds of England. For this and other papers regarding the Jurassic
of southern England, he was awarded a DPhil in 1928.
Whilst undertaking his doctoral research, Arkell spent four winter seasons (1926–30) investigating the evidence of Palaeolithic human remains in the Nile Valley of Egypt
in association with the University of Chicago
. Four notable monographs were the result of this work.
Arkell was awarded a lectureship in geology
at New College, Oxford
in 1927 and later, in 1929, became a Senior Research Fellow of that College. With little teaching or administrative duties to speak of, Arkell was able to devote almost all his time to research. This culminated with the publication, in 1933, of The Jurassic System of Great Britain. This large, 681 page work critically examined and consolidated all previous work on the Jurassic
, including the formations described by the pioneer on British
Geology
, William Smith
in the Nineteenth century. It recognised Arkell as an authority on the Jurassic
, which was remarkable given he was only 29.
He also published extensive work on the Upper Jurassic reef deposits (known as the Coral Rag) of England. He was an expert on the use of Jurassic limestone
s as building materials, publishing a book on the many different types of limestone
used in the buildings of Oxford
. The often obscure terminology used by miner
s and quarry
men was clarified by his dictionary of rock terms. Arkell was interested in the tectonic history of Southern England, particularly with reference to the highly folded beds of the Isle of Purbeck
. He contributed to reports published by the British Geological Survey
, especially around the area of Weymouth and Portland
.
The Second World War interrupted his research in 1941 and Arkell worked for the Ministry of Transport in London, when bombing of that city was at its most intense. It was during this period that he became seriously ill, spending five months in hospital following a pneumothorax
operation.
, holding an office at the Sedgwick Museum. It was during this time that Arkell began to work on the use of ammonite
s as Zone fossils in Jurassic stratigraphy and became the leading expert on this specialised area. He was inundated with fossils for identification, particularly from oil companies. As a consequence, he travelled widely in the Middle East
examining many Jurassic
exposures from this area.
Arkell then consolidated his knowledge of the Jurassic and published Jurassic Geology of the World in 1956. The large, detailed volume to this day remains a classic and influential text.
Arkell married Ruby Percival in 1929 and purchased a large house at Cumnor
, near Oxford
before relocation to Cambridge in 1949. Together they had three sons, born between 1932 and 1937. They also established a holiday home at Ringstead Bay
in Dorset
. Due to his connection with the family brewery business, Arkell was independently wealthy.
Despite his large frame and height (he was 6 feet 4 inches tall), Arkell was never a well man. In the autumn of 1956, he suffered a severe stroke
which left him partially paralysed and with double vision
. This was to provide a detriment to his Sunday hobby of water colour painting. Despite this his determination to continue his work and correspondence at Cambridge University continued. However, he suffered a second stroke on April 18, 1958 and died several hours later.
in 1934. In 1944 he was awarded the Mary Clark Thompson Medal
from the National Academy of Sciences
. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1947. Arkell was awarded the Lyell Medal
of the Geological Society of London
in 1949, and the Leopold von Buch
medal of the German Geological Society in 1953.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
; D.Phil.; D.Sc.; FGS
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"...
.; FRS. (9 June 1904 – 18 April 1958) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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 paleontologist, regarded as the leading authority on the Jurassic Period during the middle part of the 20th century.
Childhood
Arkell was born in HighworthHighworth
Highworth is a market town in the unitary authority of Swindon in Wiltshire, England, located about north-east of Swindon town centre. At the 2001 census it had a population of 7,996...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
the youngest of a family of seven. His father, James Arkell was a partner in the prosperous family business Arkell's Brewery
Arkell's Brewery
Arkell's is an English brewery located in the town of Swindon, Wiltshire. The brewery has been owned by members of the Arkell family since its establishment in 1843. It is Swindon's oldest established company...
(which is still family owned today). His mother, Laura Jane Arkell was an artist of notable ability.
Swanage
Swanage is a coastal town and civil parish in the south east of Dorset, England. It is situated at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck, approximately 10 km south of Poole and 40 km east of Dorchester. The parish has a population of 10,124 . Nearby are Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks,...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. He was later educated at Wellington College
Wellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, where his ability in Natural History
Natural History
Natural history is the scientific study of plants or animals.Natural History may also refer to:In science and medicine:* Natural History , Naturalis Historia, a 1st-century work by Pliny the Elder...
was recognised and he was able to devote significant time to develop his knowledge of this subject. Indeed, he was a regular prize winner for his Natural History
Natural History
Natural history is the scientific study of plants or animals.Natural History may also refer to:In science and medicine:* Natural History , Naturalis Historia, a 1st-century work by Pliny the Elder...
essays, one of which was a treatise on the Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
Robber Flies (Asilidae
Asilidae
Insects in the Diptera family Asilidae are commonly called robber flies. The family Asilidae contains about 7,100 described species worldwide....
). He also privately published a series of poems, Seven Poems, which reflected his love of nature and the outdoors.
Student life
In October 1922, at the second attempt (due a failure in LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
), Arkell was admitted to New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
. He had initially intended to read entomology
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
and despite being tutored by the great Julian Huxley
Julian Huxley
Sir Julian Sorell Huxley FRS was an English evolutionary biologist, humanist and internationalist. He was a proponent of natural selection, and a leading figure in the mid-twentieth century evolutionary synthesis...
, he decided that his career lay in geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and palaeontology. In 1925, he graduated with First Class Honours in geology. He remained at Oxford University after the award of the Burdett-Coutts research scholarship. His research topic involved the taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of the bivalves from the Upper Jurassic Corallian beds of England. For this and other papers regarding the Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
of southern England, he was awarded a DPhil in 1928.
Whilst undertaking his doctoral research, Arkell spent four winter seasons (1926–30) investigating the evidence of Palaeolithic human remains in the Nile Valley of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in association with the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. Four notable monographs were the result of this work.
Geological research
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
in 1927 and later, in 1929, became a Senior Research Fellow of that College. With little teaching or administrative duties to speak of, Arkell was able to devote almost all his time to research. This culminated with the publication, in 1933, of The Jurassic System of Great Britain. This large, 681 page work critically examined and consolidated all previous work on the Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
, including the formations described by the pioneer on British
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...
Geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, William Smith
William Smith (geologist)
William 'Strata' Smith was an English geologist, credited with creating the first nationwide geological map. He is known as the "Father of English Geology" for collating the geological history of England and Wales into a single record, although recognition was very slow in coming...
in the Nineteenth century. It recognised Arkell as an authority on the Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
, which was remarkable given he was only 29.
He also published extensive work on the Upper Jurassic reef deposits (known as the Coral Rag) of England. He was an expert on the use of Jurassic limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
s as building materials, publishing a book on the many different types of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
used in the buildings of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. The often obscure terminology used by miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
s and quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
men was clarified by his dictionary of rock terms. Arkell was interested in the tectonic history of Southern England, particularly with reference to the highly folded beds of the Isle of Purbeck
Isle of Purbeck
The Isle of Purbeck, not a true island but a peninsula, is in the county of Dorset, England. It is bordered by the English Channel to the south and east, where steep cliffs fall to the sea; and by the marshy lands of the River Frome and Poole Harbour to the north. Its western boundary is less well...
. He contributed to reports published by the British Geological Survey
British Geological Survey
The British Geological Survey is a partly publicly funded body which aims to advance geoscientific knowledge of the United Kingdom landmass and its continental shelf by means of systematic surveying, monitoring and research. The BGS headquarters are in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, but other centres...
, especially around the area of Weymouth and Portland
Weymouth and Portland
Weymouth and Portland is a local government district and borough in Dorset, England. It consists of the resort of Weymouth and the Isle of Portland, and includes the areas of Wyke Regis, Preston, Melcombe Regis, Upwey, Broadwey, Southill, Chiswell, Castletown, Fortuneswell, Radipole, Nottington,...
.
The Second World War interrupted his research in 1941 and Arkell worked for the Ministry of Transport in London, when bombing of that city was at its most intense. It was during this period that he became seriously ill, spending five months in hospital following a pneumothorax
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is a collection of air or gas in the pleural cavity of the chest between the lung and the chest wall. It may occur spontaneously in people without chronic lung conditions as well as in those with lung disease , and many pneumothoraces occur after physical trauma to the chest, blast...
operation.
Cambridge University
Following demobilisation at the end of the war, Arkell accepted a Senior Research Fellowship at Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, holding an office at the Sedgwick Museum. It was during this time that Arkell began to work on the use of ammonite
Ammonite
Ammonite, as a zoological or paleontological term, refers to any member of the Ammonoidea an extinct subclass within the Molluscan class Cephalopoda which are more closely related to living coleoids Ammonite, as a zoological or paleontological term, refers to any member of the Ammonoidea an extinct...
s as Zone fossils in Jurassic stratigraphy and became the leading expert on this specialised area. He was inundated with fossils for identification, particularly from oil companies. As a consequence, he travelled widely in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
examining many Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
exposures from this area.
Arkell then consolidated his knowledge of the Jurassic and published Jurassic Geology of the World in 1956. The large, detailed volume to this day remains a classic and influential text.
Personal life
Cumnor
Cumnor is a village and civil parish west of the centre of Oxford, England. The parish of Cumnor includes Cumnor Hill, , Chawley , the Dean Court area on the edge of Botley and the outlying settlements of Chilswell, Farmoor and Swinford...
, near Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
before relocation to Cambridge in 1949. Together they had three sons, born between 1932 and 1937. They also established a holiday home at Ringstead Bay
Ringstead Bay
Ringstead Bay and the small village of Ringstead are located on the coast in Dorset, southern England. They are accessible by way of a private road that you have to pay £5 to be able to use with a car park at the end near the sea. There is an alternative car park that is free...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. Due to his connection with the family brewery business, Arkell was independently wealthy.
Despite his large frame and height (he was 6 feet 4 inches tall), Arkell was never a well man. In the autumn of 1956, he suffered a severe stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
which left him partially paralysed and with double vision
Diplopia
Diplopia, commonly known as double vision, is the simultaneous perception of two images of a single object that may be displaced horizontally, vertically, or diagonally in relation to each other...
. This was to provide a detriment to his Sunday hobby of water colour painting. Despite this his determination to continue his work and correspondence at Cambridge University continued. However, he suffered a second stroke on April 18, 1958 and died several hours later.
Awards and honours
Arkell received a D.Sc from the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 1934. In 1944 he was awarded the Mary Clark Thompson Medal
Mary Clark Thompson Medal
The Mary Clark Thompson Medal is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "for most important service to geology and paleontology." Named after Mary Clark Thompson, it was first awarded in 1921.- List of Mary Clark Thompson Medal winners :...
from the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1947. Arkell was awarded the Lyell Medal
Lyell Medal
The Lyell Medal is a prestigious annual scientific medal given by the Geological Society of London, equal in status to the Murchison Medal, awarded on the basis of research to an Earth Scientist of exceptional quality...
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"...
in 1949, and the Leopold von Buch
Christian Leopold von Buch
Christian Leopold Freiherr von Buch was a German geologist and paleontologist born in Stolpe an der Oder and is remembered as one of the most important contributors to geology in the first half of the nineteenth century...
medal of the German Geological Society in 1953.
Sources
- Parts edited from Cox, L.R. (1958). William Joscelyn Arkell., Biog. Mem. Royal. Soc. Vol. 4, pp. 1–14.
Works
- Paleolithic Man and the Nile-Faiyum Divide. A Study of the Region During Pliocene and Pleistocene Times (with Sandford K.S.)University of Chicago Press, 1927
- The Jurassic System In Great Britain, OUP, 1933
- The Portland beds of the Dorset mainland Geologists association, 1936
- The Tectonics of the Purbeck and Ridgeway faults in Dorset, Geological Magazine, 1937
- Geology of the Country around Witney (with L Richardson and Dines, H G) HMSO, 1946
- Oxford Stone , 1947
- Geology of the Country around Weymouth, Swanage, Corfe and Lulworth (Geological Memoirs, BGS) 1947
- English Rock Terms Oxford University Press, (with S I Tomkeiff), 1952
- Jurassic geology of the world Olver & Boyd, 1956
External links
- Biography (page one)
- Short biography at BGS
- geology of the Dorset coast with reference to Arkell's researches