William Smith, the 'father of geology'

The man who literally put geology on the map in the United Kingdom was William Smith (1769-1839), who through his work as an engineer and surveyor, travelled around the country and made observations on the types of rock he saw. His early work surveying mines and canals in Somerset allowed him to develop his theories and his later work led to contacts with influential people who could support and publicise his findings.

His work eventually led to the first geological map of England in 1815 and although he worked alone his map looks very similar to the latest geological maps produced with more technology and resources.

His life saw many ups and downs and his work was copied by others. Because he was not from an academic background his efforts were not considered worthy enough by some of the scientific societies being set up at the time.

Although from a relatively humble background he made a good living at first as an engineer but poor decisions later in life led to debt problems and it was only when he was older that his work was appreciated. By the time of his death in 1839 the man known as 'Strata' Smith had finally been recognised by the scientific community.

His life and work has been described in Simon Winchester's book 'The Map That Changed The World' (Penguin Books 2001).

For more information check these websites:

William Smith's map

William 'Strata' Smith