384 
REV. WILLIAM THoRP. 
Through the influence of the late Lord Fitzwilliam, he was pre- 
sented b)^ the Lord Chancellor to the Vicarage of Misson, in Notting- 
hamshire, in 1848. He was vicar of Misson when he died, suddenly, 
in 1860. I do not know when first my uncle began to be interested 
in geology. He had a son's interest in the Gawber Hall Colliery 
'the Exors. of Samuel Thorp, Esq.,' and was partner with my father, 
Richard Thorp, in the North Gawber Colliery. This probably 
directed his interest in geology. My grandfather was the first to 
begin the Barnsley Coal Trade, I remember reading, in one of my 
uncle's lectures. He began on his own property at Gawber, This 
was the beginning of this great industry. My uncle was also greatly 
interested in chemistry, astronomy, and very much in medicine, and 
had a friendship of long-standing with the celebrated Dr. Addison, of 
London, and the late Mr. Teale, of Leeds. I cannot help thinking if 
Colonel DraysoD, R. A., is still living, he may have many of his papers, 
for he stayed at Misson often, and for long visits, discussing scientific 
questions. I know my cousin, the late Captain Thorp, 78th High- 
landers, destroyed hundreds of letters from Sedgwick, Murchison, 
Conybeare, and many scientists of the day, and I hear from my 
cousins many papers were again destroyed on the death of my aunt 
at Norwood, a few years ago. 
The following is the letter from Colonel Drayson referred to 
above : — 
Colonel Drayson to Miss Thorp. 
20, AsiiBURTON Road, Soutiisea, 
Dear Madam, 17th November, 1888. 
Your letter has at length reached me. I regret that all my 
correspondence with your late uncle has disappeared, as my travels 
(since his death) in India and America obliged me to reduce my 
baggage to a minimum. Mr. Thorp had very advanced views on 
geology, which, as is usual, ^vere ignored at the time, but have since 
been generally received. He gave, with me, a lecture at Doncaster 
on geology, but I have not even a record of it. 
During my various visits to him we discussed many of the un- 
solved problems in geology, and he entirely agreed with the views I 
afterwards published in a work entitled ' The Last Glacial Epoch.' 
