Wilfrid Hudleston Hudleston. 



vn 



Young Simpson received his early education at St. Peter's School, York, 

 from which he was transferred to Uppingham School, and subsequently 

 entered St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1850. Up 

 to this time, as a school-boy and an undergraduate, Wilfrid had evinced no 

 special predilection for geology. In his last term he attended Sedgwick's 

 lectures and was much impressed with the manner and appearance of that 

 distinguished geologist. His earliest scientific pursuit was ornithology, 

 commenced at fifteen years of age whilst still at Uppingham School. At 

 Cambridge he was associated with Alfred Newton from 1848 and with 

 J. E. Law, making many expeditions in Northumberland, Cumberland, and 

 N.W. Ireland. Afterwards he visited the Norwegian coast and here he became 

 acquainted with John Wolley (author of ' Ootheca Wolleyana '), and with 

 him lie collected in Finland and Lapland, also with Alfred Newton and John 

 Wolley in 1855 and in 1856 in the Island of Oland and Sweden. 



In 1857 he joined Canon Tristram and Osbert Salvin in an ornithological 

 expedition to Algeria. Together they explored the Eastern Atlas, visiting 

 Tunis, Constantine, Kef, etc. The years 1859 — 60 were chiefly spent by 

 Wilfrid Simpson in Greece and part of Turkey (the Dobrudscha, now 

 Eoumania). His last ornithological trip was made in 1861 to Switzerland. 



On leaving Cambridge he devoted some time to the study of the Law and 

 was called to the Bar in 1853, but never practised. 



Erom 1862 to 1867 Mr. Wilfrid Simpson held a commission in the Kent 

 Artillery (Militia), and performed yearly garrison duties at Dover Castle. 

 About this time he also began a special course of scientific studies, selecting 

 more particularly Natural History and Chemistry. He studied in Edinburgh 

 under Playfair and Stephenson Macadam, and subsequently, for three sessions, 

 at the Eoyal College of Chemistry in London under Hoffmann, Frankland, 

 and Valentine. At that time he was uncertain whether to take chemistry or 

 geology as his main subject of pursuit, when an accident decided in favour of 

 the latter. In 1866 he met Marshall Hall at Chamounix and on their return 

 to England he was speedily introduced to many persons interested in 

 geological science, of whom Prof. Morris may be regarded as the chief. 



Prof. Morris had a wonderful influence over his pupils and associates, and 

 this was just the attraction which Mr. Simpson, who had now (1867) 

 assumed the patronymic of Hudleston, required to enlist him as a geological 

 recruit, and in due course to make him a "knight of the hammer" for the 

 rest of his life. A close friendship was thus formed which was only 

 terminated by the death of Morris in 1886. 



In 1867 he was elected a Fellow of the Geological Society, and in 1871 

 a Member of the Geologists' Association. Of this Association he became 

 Secretary in 1874, and during the three years of office he spent much time 

 in preparing reports on the various districts visited, some of which are of 

 considerable extent and importance. In 1872 he published his first original 

 paper (with Mr. F. G. H. Price) " On Excavations at the New Law Courts." 



His papers on "The Yorkshire Oolites " (1873— 78) and "The Corallian 



