Andrew Crombie Ramsay and his Geological Lectures to Working Men: no compromise

Andrew Crombie Ramsay and his Geological Lectures to Working Men: no compromise

Anne Barrett

A.C. Ramsay. Photo © BGS with permission

Andrew Crombie Ramsay (1814–1891) joined the early Geological Survey as Assistant Geologist in 1841. Its director, H.T. De la Beche, believed in extending education among the entire population and he encouraged his staff to take up lecturing about geology to wider populus. Ramsay accepted  this role with alacrity, albeit with some doubts about his abilities, but In 1848 he took up the role of Professor of Geology at University College London, then in 1851 he was appointed lecturer in geology at the 'Government School of Mines, and of Science applied to the Arts,' In the months of January and February 1863 Ramsay gave a course of six evening lectures to working men in the Jermyn Street Museum on the Physical Geology and Geography of Great Britain.  Ramsay proved to be a popular lecturer.

Ramsay's Geological Map of Great Britain in his 1864 book based on his lectures

Anne will discuss Ramsay’s lecturing, his management of some of the geological debates of the time, his personal ambivalence about his capabilities, and his no compromise stance on the uniformity of his lectures to a range of audiences - professional, amateur and academic.

The talk will use examples from Ramsay's illustrated lecture notes and the notebooks of one of his Royal School of Mines students. 

Roche Moutonnée above Fisher Moss Chase Nr Satterthwaite N. Lancashire

Anne Barrett

Anne is Imperial College Archivist & Corporate Records Manager. She has extensive experience in scientific archives and their management, enabling her to satisfy the diverse enquiries of internal and external users at Imperial College London, as well as engage in personal research on the life and works of A.C. Ramsay.