William Conybeare (geologist)

William Daniel Conybeare ( born June 7, 1787 Horsham ( Botolph ); † August 12, 1857 in Winchester ( Itchen Stoke) ) was a British geologist and paleontologist.

Life and work

Conybeare was born in London and educated at Christ Church College in Oxford. After joining a religious order he held various church offices was. He was also a founding member of the Bristol Philosophical Institution in 1822.

For the geology he was enthusiastic after he attended the lectures of John Kidd ( 1775-1851 ). After completing his studies, he traveled extensively in Great Britain and on the Continent, where he pursued geological studies. He was also one of the first members of the Geological Society of London. Both William Buckland and Adam Sedgwick reported always to determine how much they benefited from his knowledge of geology, when they began to devote himself to this area.

The scientific description of a Plesiosaur discovered by Mary Anning goes back to him and later investigations of these extinct reptile species have confirmed him in all important respects. Together with William Buckland, he published a thesis paper on the southwestern coalfields of England, which was published in 1824. He also published scientific papers on the Thames Valley, on the theory of mountain ranges of Léonce Élie de Beaumont and a landslide that took place near Lyme Regis in 1839.

His main work is Outlines of the Geology of England and Wales, published in 1822 and which he wrote together with the geologist William Phillips ( 1775-1828 ). This work was of significant influence on the science of geology in Britain.

Conybeare was a member of the Royal Society and a corresponding member of the Institut de France. In 1844 he was awarded the Wollaston Medal of the Geological Society of London.