LIXNBAX SOCIETi' OF LONDON. 6l 



Clement Eeid occupied a unique position in relation to geology 

 and botany. Commencing his career as a geologist, be soon turned 

 his attention to the investigation of the history of the existing 

 British flora as shown in the more recent geological formations, 

 both by the actual plant-remains and by the evidence of alterations 

 in the climatic conditions and physical features of the country. 

 By his energetic and painstaking researches in tliis held, pursued 

 unremittingly through a period of thirty-six years, he did more 

 than any other man. with the exception of Watson (who 

 approached tlie subject from a different standpoint), to elucidate 

 the origin of our present flora. 



He was born on the 6rh January, 1853, the son of Edward Ker 

 Reid, a London goldsmith. On his mother's side he was the 

 grand-nephew of Michnel Faraday, and it was no doubt the 

 scientific atmosphere in the family created by the genius of Faraday 

 whicli gave the experimental and critical bent to Eeid's mind 

 that fitted him for the work of his life. We learn from Mrs. 

 Eeid that it was from his mother that he iidierited his great 

 love of nature. As a child a partial deafness, the after-result 

 of scarlet fever, cut him off from intercourse with other children, 

 and threw him to a great extent on his own I'esources. This 

 no doubt led to the enjoyment of solitary walks in the country, 

 and to those habits of observation and deduction which qualified 

 him in after years to take so high a rank as a naturalist. 



He left school at the comparatively early age of fourteen, and 

 his first start in life was to enter a publisher's oiSce. He did not 

 take kindly to the routine of office work, which « as little suited to 

 his active mind, but the business training helped him considerably 

 in after years in dealing methodically with the vast mass of facts 

 and specimens with which he had to do. 



Seven vears later he found a congenial occupation. Hearing 

 througli his friend Mr. H. B. Woodward of the likelihood of a 

 vacancv on the Geological Survey, he qualified for, and in 187-t 

 obtained the appointment. An ideal profession for the naturalist, 

 it afforded him exceptional opportunities for the particular line of 

 work to which he was attracted. In the first place he was 

 stationed in the south-west of England, but, during the tliirty-nine 

 years of liis connection with the Survejs his duties involved the 

 geological es])loration of a considerable portion of England, 

 especially in the south. His friend and former colleague Mr. 

 E. T. jSewton, in an appreciative noticein the 'Geological Magazine' 

 for January, 1917, tells us that he worked in Norfolk, Yorkshire, 

 Lincolnshire, Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, AVilts 

 and Coruv\"all, as well as in the London area. He was responsible 

 for a number of the publications of the Survey. Mr. Newton, 

 referring especially to the geological side of his work, remarks, 

 " Whatever Mr. Eeid undertook to do lie did thoroughly. He was 

 always a most careful and untiring worker, and even his 

 times of relaxation were devoted to some collateral aspect of 

 his ^^■ork." 



