SIR ARCHIBALD GEIKIE 



By Sir Aubrey Strahan 



[With 1 plate] 



By the death of Sir Archibald Geikie on November 10, 1924, 

 British geology has lost its leader, and the Geological Society its 

 most eminent Fellow. From an early age to the end of his long life 

 he made the interests of the society one of his first cares. Elected 

 a Fellow in 1859, he served on the council in 1883 and for many sub- 

 sequent years. He was a vice president in 1886-1888 and president 

 in 1890-1892. On the occasion of the centenary of the society in 

 1907, he acceded to a generally expressed desire that he should pre- 

 side for a second term (1906-1908), and on relinquishing the chair 

 was elected foreign secretary. For many years he liad been constant 

 in his attendance at the meetings, and when advancing years ren- 

 dered this impossible, he tendered his resignation; but, at the unani- 

 mous request of the council, he continued to perform the duties of 

 the post to the end of his life. 



He was born in Edinburgh on December 28, 1835. For the details 

 of his early life we are indebted to his autobiography, "A Long Life's 

 Work." This volume, which was published only a few months be- 

 fore his death, shows no signs of waning powers or of failing 

 memory. In it he describes the innumerable functions in which he 

 took a leading part, the appointments which he held, his travels, and 

 some of the many honors that he received. He dwells, too, on the 

 friends whom he made and on the encouragement which he received 

 from them as a young man and in after-life; but more especially 

 interesting to us is the revelation of the inner thoughts of a boy who, 

 in obedience to a natural bent and rather to the alarm of his father, 

 made geology the occupation of his life, and eventually attained the 

 highest posts open to a man of science in this country. 



A dormant love of geology was roused accidentally soon after he 

 left school. The finding of a fossil plant in a block of limestone in 

 Burdiehouse Quarry set his active mind speculating on the relics of 



' Reprinted by permission from The Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, Vol. 

 LXXXI. No. 322. July 4, 1925. 



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