Routledge Revivals
John Phillips and the Business of Victorian Science
First published in 2005, this book represents the first full length biography of John Phillips, one of the most remarkable and important scientists of the Victorian period. Adopting a broad chronological approach, this book not only traces the development of Phillips career but clarifies and highlights his role within Victorian culture, shedding light on many wider themes. It explores how Phillips love of science was inseparable from his need to earn a living and develop a career which could sustain him. Hence questions of power, authority, reputation and patronage were central to Phillips career and scientific work. Drawing on a wealth of primary sources and a rich body of recent writings on Victorian science, this biography brings together his personal story with the scientific theories and developments of the day, and fixes them firmly within the context of wider society.
John Phillips and the Business of Victorian Science
Jack Morrell
First published in 2005
by Ashgate
This edition first published in 2017 by Routledge
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2005 Jack Morrell
The right of Jack Morrell to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Publishers Note
The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original copies may be apparent.
Disclaimer
The publisher has made every effort to trace copyright holders and welcomes correspondence from those they have been unable to contact.
A Library of Congress record exists under LC control number: 2004006876
ISBN 13: 978-1-138-21478-1 (hbk)
ISBN 13: 978-1-315-44508-3 (ebk)
John Phillips, a lithograph by T.H. Maguire of 1851, an Ipswich Museum portrait issued in celebration of the visit of the British Association. National Portrait Gallery.
John Phillips and the Business of Victorian Science
JACK MORRELL
University of Leeds, UK
Jack Morrell 2005
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
The author has asserted his moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Morrell, Jack, 1933-
John Phillips and the business of Victorian science. -
(Science, technology and culture, 1700-1945)
1. Phillips, John, 1800-1874 2. Geologists - England -
Biography
I. Title
551\092
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Morrell, Jack.
John Phillips and the business of Victorian science / Jack Morell.
p. cm. - (Science, technology, and culture, 1700-1945)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-84014-239-1 (alk. paper)
1. Phillips, John, 1800-1874. 2. Geologists - Great Britain - Biography.
I. Title. II. Series.
QE22.P477M67 2005 |
551.092-dc22 | 2004006876 |
ISBN 1 84014 239 1
Printed and bound in Great Britain by MPG Books, Bodmin
Contents
In writing this book I have profited from the support of many people and institutions. For general encouragement and particular help I am indebted to David Allen, Simon Bailey, Anne Barrett, Douglas Bassett, Bill Brock, John Brooke, Neil Brown, Janet Browne, Bill Bynum, Gordon Herries Davies, Brian Harrison, Tony Heywood, Roger Hutchins, Ian Inkster, the late Bobby Jenkins, David Knight, Frank James, David Levene, David Miller, Dorinda Outram, John Pickstone, the late Roy Porter, Munro Price, Anne Secord, Tom Sharpe, Tony Simcock, and the late John Thackray. At the Oxford University Museum of Natural History I have been welcomed by Jim Kennedy, Philip Powell, and above all by Stella Brecknell, its ever-helpful librarian who looks after the Phillips papers to which she has produced an excellent hand-list. I began sustained research on Phillips in 1985 when I enjoyed a visiting fellowship at Brasenose College, Oxford, and received the first of several grants from the Royal Society of London for this particular project. I have benefited from the help given by many librarians and archivists, and especially from the first-rate services provided by the university libraries of Leeds and Bradford. Since 1992 I have had the privilege of being an honorary visiting lecturer in history of science at the University of Leeds, where Sam Alberti, Geoffrey Cantor, John Christie, Steven French, Graeme Gooday, Jonathan Hodge, Chris Kenny, Richard Noakes, Suzanne Paylor, Gregory Radick, Jonathan Topham, and Adrian Wilson have given friendship, stimulus, and useful references. I owe much to three distinguished historians of geology, Martin Rudwick, Jim Secord, and Hugh Torrens for advice, encouragement, and information freely given over many years. With characteristic generosity Jim Secord has read meticulously the entire manuscript of this book. It has been greatly improved by his incisive comments.
For expert typing I thank Christine Lawlor. At Ashgate, Thomas Gray, Celia Hoare and their colleagues have aided me beyond the call of duty. For enabling me to finish the book I am grateful to the staff of the Heaton Medical Practice, Bradford. For forbearance I am beholden to my family, to whom this book is dedicated.
For permission to cite manuscripts in their care or ownership I am grateful to the American Philosophical Society (W. Hutton and Darwin papers, miscellaneous correspondence); the Bodleian Library, Oxford (BAAS archives, including General committee minutes, Council minutes, Foundation volume, York reception committee proceedings, documents pertaining to mines; H.W. Acland papers; Ashmolean Society papers); Bradford District archives (W.Danby papers); Bristol University Library (Eyles collection); British Geological Survey, Keyworth (Geological Survey archives); British Library (Peel papers); British Museum (Natural History) (Owen Papers; miscellaneous correspondence); Buxton Museum (Dawkins collection); Cambridge University Library (Greenough, Henslow, Kelvin, Sedgwick, and Stokes papers); Cambridge University Museum of Zoology (Strickland papers); Devon Record Office (Buckland papers); Edinburgh University Library (Lyell, Murchison Gen 523, and Geikie Gen 525 papers; miscellaneous correspondence, including letters to Phillips, Gen 784/1); Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (miscellaneous correspondence); the Honourable Mrs C Gascoigne (Harcourt papers); Geological Society of London (Murchison papers); Humberside County archives (H Robinson papers); Imperial College, London, archives (Huxley, Playfair, and Ramsay papers); Kings College, London, archives (KCL Council minutes, incoming correspondence, letter book 183443); Leeds Public Libraries archives, Sheepscar, now known as West Yorkshire archive service, Leeds (T. Wilson papers, Yorkshire Naturalists Club archives); Leeds University Library (Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society archives, Yorkshire Geological Society archives); London University Library (Phillips autobiographical notebook, MS 517); Magdalen College, Oxford, Library (Daubeny papers; Phillips foreign travel journals, 1829, 1830); Manchester Public Library (Royal Manchester Institution archives, including incoming letters M6/1/502, letter books M6/1/49/17, and syllabuses M6/1/70; Massachusetts Institute of Technology Library (W.B. Rogers papers); Mitchell Library, Glasgow (Phillipsjournal of tour of Scotland, 1826); John Murray (Murray papers); Museum of History of Science, Oxford (Phillips notebook
