William Smith, LL.D., “ Father of English Geology.” By 
Henry Woopwarp, LL.D. F.RS., F.G.S., Keeper of 
Department Geology British Museum N.H. (1880-1901). 
(Read November 27th, 1901.) 
The story which I am about to tell is that of a poor country lad, 
named William Smith, who was born of humble parents at 
Churchill, a village in Oxfordshire, on the 23rd March, 1769- 
His father, also named William Smith, was a very ingenious 
mechanic, and it was while engaged in the erection of some 
machinery in 1777, that he caught a severe cold from the effects of 
which he died before the boy was eight years old. 
After his father’s death, his mother contracted a second marriage, 
and the lad William was passed over to the guardianship of his 
father’s eldest brother, a small farmer at Over Norton. He seems 
to have been sent for a time to a village school, but the means of 
instruction at this were very limited and rudimentary, and he much 
preferred the study of Nature in the fields to that of his lessons in 
the School-house on the village green. 
We who are privileged to live in this 19th, Century are so 
encompassed on every side with the comforts and conveniences of 
modern discovery, refinement and civilization, that we can hardly 
conceive amidst all our advantages, how very many things English 
people who lived 130 years ago had to do without. Education 
throughout the country was at a very low ebb indeed. Books were 
few and dear. Such places as Public Libraries and Lecture-halls 
did not exist. Newspapers had hardly begun to be regularly 
published. Stage-coaches were few, and most of the high roads 
were still very badly kept. In 1761, Brindley, the engineer, was 
beginning to construct canals in various parts of England, and 
these were looked upon as marvellous methods of easy transport 
for goods and merchandise. It is true that James Watts invented 
A Vou. X., No. 1. 
