| Greig, J B (2004). George Jennings Hinde − a scientific man Bull Croydon Nat Hist Sci Soc, 121:7−8. |
George Jennings Hinde − a scientific manRecently a query about George Hinde came in from Canada via our website. Was he a member of our Society and is anything known of his descendants? Did any of his correspondence or diaries end up with the Society? The queries came from Dr Peter von Bitter, Senior Curator of Palaeobiology, Royal Ontario Museum and Professor of Geology, University of Toronto. Peter has research interests in conodonts and also an interest in the history of geology, particularly early Canadian geologists, palaeontologists and mineralogists. A combination of these interests provided the reason for the enquiry − George Hinde was born in Norfolk and, after a spell of sheep-ranching in Argentina, had gone to study in Canada and had published research on conodonts that helped to establish his name and reputation. Peter was seeking more information about the period that George Hinde had spent in Canada. From Canada George had gone, apparently with a brief stop in England, to Germany where he did a doctorate at Munich under Professor Karl Alfred von Zittel, an expert on fossil sponges. At the time of the 1881 census he was back in England, aged 42, living by himself in Mitcham and with an occupation described as 'scientific man geologist D.Phil.'. Soon after the census he married, to an Edith Octavia Clark of Street, Somerset, and he commenced a project that further enhanced his reputation, the preparation of a catalogue of the fossil sponges in the British Museum (Natural History). By 1885 he was in contact with Dr Alfred Carpenter; in December 1886 he read a paper to the society on 'The Microscopic Structure of the so-called Malm or Firestone Rock of Merstham and Godstone, Surrey'; on January 12, 1887 he was elected a member of the Society, then the Croydon Microscopical and Natural History Club. By this time the family had moved to 24 Avondale Road, South Croydon, where they lived at least until his death in 1918. So, a part of Peter's query can be answered − he was one of our members. Another part was readily answered by Paul Sowan − we don't have any of his correspondence or diaries, though we do have some of his published work and, of course, any information that has been recorded in our Proceedings. This just left the matter of his descendants. Peter, from an obituary, knew that he was survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters. A combination of information from the 1901 census, our Proceedings and other sources has allowed the identification of five children and their probable birth years. The younger three were either junior or ordinary members of the society:
These names have led to various other sources that may hold material on George Jennings Hinde. However, if you have any ideas that might help Dr Peter von Bitter in his quest for further knowledge on the period that George spent in Canada in the 1870s then please contact me. It may also lead to the knowledge of one of our more distinguished members being increased. John B Greig (Since this Bulletin issue went 'to press' we have learnt of the existence of GJH's work notes at the Natural History Museum [Long S L, Taylor P D, Baker S and Cooper J (2003). Some early collectors and collections of fossil sponges represented in the Natural History Museum, London, The Geological Curator, 7(10) 353−362]. However, any additional information would be welcome.) |
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July 10th 2004 |