Great Geologists | 69
Climbing ripple lamination indicative of high sediment flux under strong flow
conditions.
Sorby dedicated his entire adult life to science and at the time
of his death in 1908, he had published around 250 papers on a
diverse range of subjects. A model of what a creative individual
can accomplish working alone, he was honoured by The Royal
Society, The Geological Society and countless other scientific
bodies. Both the International Association of Sedimentologists
and the International Metallographic Society have annual
awards for outstanding achievement in his name. He promoted
the idea of a university in Sheffield and lived long enough to
see it founded in 1905. Upon his death, he bequeathed much
of his fortune to this new academic institute. As the title of
one his biographies states, he was indeed “A Very Scientific
Gentleman.”
Eyles, J.M. 1951. William Nicol and Henry Clifton Sorby: Two
Centenaries. Nature, 168, 98-99.
Folk, R.L. 1965. Henry Clifton Sorby (1826-1908), the Founder
of Petrography. Journal of Geological Education, 13(2), 43-47.
Higham, N. 1963. A Very Scientific Gentleman. Macmillian,
160pp.
Smith, C.S. 1960. A History of Metallography. University of
Chicago Press, 291pp.
http://www.sorby.org.uk/about-us/henry-clifton-sorby/
REFERENCES https://www.ypsyork.org/resources/yorkshire-scientists-and-
innovators/henry-clifton-sorby/
This essay has drawn upon information from the following
sources: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2007/feb/08/
highereducation.comment
Allen, J.R.L. 1993. Sedimentary structures: Sorby and the last
decade. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 150, 417-
425.