Great Geologists | 31
Depiction of Mary Anning finding her first
fossil icthyosaur whilst still a young girl.
Letter and drawing from Mary Anning
announcing the discovery of the first
complete Plesiosaurus, 26 December 1823.
interest to the gentlemen geoscientists of the time. They visited
her and she regularly corresponded with many of them, Mary
showing an aptitude for understanding the significance of her
finds. Because of her major finds of spectacular fossils and her
interaction with the gentry she enjoyed something of a celebrity
status (even the King of Saxony visited her), despite her poor
upbringing and being a woman in what was very much a man’s
world.
History has painted varying pictures of Mary’s contribution to
geology. Some historians of science have condemned her with
faint praise as being simply a talented amateur. In fact she was
a professional – her livelihood depended on her ability to locate,
excavate, reassemble and preserve the fossils she found. And by
corresponding with other geologists of the day she contributed
greatly to the embryonic sciences of paleontology, paleoecology
and stratigraphy.
True scientific recognition was denied her in her lifetime. Perhaps
her much-remarked upon pride and forthright and business-like
manner did not help. Her friend Anna Maria Pinkney wrote that
Mary felt that “the world has used her ill and she does not care
for it, according to her account these men of learning have sucked
her brains, and made a great deal by publishing works, while she
derived none of the advantages…”
Nonetheless, in the later years of her life pensions provided for by
the British Association for the Advancement of Science and the
Geological Society of London made sure she was not in need of
income after her fossil collecting days were over.
Drawing by William Buckland of the
Plesiosaur discovered by Mary Anning
in 1830.
She died in 1847 of cancer and after her death Henry De la
Beche, the President of the Geological Society of London, paid
great tribute to her in his presidential address. The value of her
discoveries came to be truly appreciated in subsequent years
and she progressively became regarded as an icon not just of
geology, but of pioneering female contributions to science. Books
about her life have multiplied. In fact should you visit the Natural
History Museum during the school holidays you might just meet
her talking about her fossil discoveries of two hundred years ago.
Or at least an actress with a remarkable likeness who conveys
the excitement of paleontology and geology to our younger
generation.
REFERENCES
This essay has drawn upon information from the following
sources:
Cadbury, D. 2000. The Dinosaur Hunters. Fourth Estate Ltd,
374pp.
Emling, S. 2009. The Fossil Hunter. St Martin’s Griffin, New
York. 234pp.
Pierce, P. 2006. Jurassic Mary. Sutton Publishing. 238pp.
Tickell, C. 2007. Mary Anning: fossil hunter. In: Huxley, R. (ed.)
The Great Naturalists. Thames & Hudson, 250-254.
Torrens, H. 1995. Mary Anning of Lyme; the greatest fossilist
the World ever knew. British Journal of the History of Science,
28, 257-284