FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Roy Starkey]

Most British collectors are probably well aware of who Sir Arthur Russell was, and what he achieved in his long and active lifetime, but collectors farther afield may have heard little about him.

The 24th February 2014 marks 50 years since Sir Arthur’s death in 1964, and in recognition of this, a special appreciation of Sir Arthur has been made freely available for download (5.3 MB) from the Russell Society Website https://www.russellsoc.org/Russell.html#russella
The document includes many previously unpublished images, scans of specimen labels, interesting background on his life and mineralogical career, and links to his numerous publications.

I hope that you may find this both a useful reference resource and an interesting read.

Roy

[Jordi Fabre]

A contribution.

Please Roy explain to the FMFers what was and what was the significance of the Mineralogical Society and who is the man in the center of the image, the man with the long white beard... ;-)

[Roy Starkey]

Hi Jordi

The Mineralogical Society , instituted in 1876, has the general object of advancing the knowledge of the science of mineralogy and its application to other subjects including crystallography, geochemistry, petrology, environmental science and economic geology.
A brief history is provided on the Society website –
https://www.minersoc.org/history.html

The Society publishes scientific journals, books and monographs, supports and holds scientific meetings, liaises with other Societies with similar objects such as the International Mineralogical Association, the European Mineralogical Union, The Mineralogical Society of America, The Mineralogical Society of Canada and the Geological Society of London, supports special interest groups, provides awards and bursaries to members and non-members, maintains an active website allowing access to information on mineralogy and on-line journals and in conjunction with other societies publishes Elements a bimonthly international magazine of mineralogy, geochemistry and petrology sent to all members.

The gentleman in the centre of the photo with the long beard is, I think, Lord Lionel Walter Rothschild (FRS – Fellow of the Royal Society) (1868-1937). He was a Trustee of the Mineralogical Society at the time of the Jubilee in 1926 – a post which is intended to ensure proper governance and management of the Society’s affairs by its officers. He is best remembered as a leading natural historian and zoologist. The attached image is a key to all of the people figured in the wonderful group photo – there are many, many famous mineralogists here. It appeared in the Mineralogical Magazine for December 1926 (Vol.XXI, page 148) opposite the original photo.

See, for example
https://www.oxforddnb.com/templates/article.jsp?articleid=35843&back=
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Rothschild,_2nd_Baron_Rothschild
(links normalized by FMF)

[Edelmin]

Thanks, Jordi, for that wonderful historic picture and, Roy, for the key sketch. What a surprise to find D. Joaquin Folch, the great Spanish collector, in the group.

Best regards,

Felix

[Susan Robinson]

Hi Roy,
The old photo is wonderful, and it's nice to finally see a photo of Ungemach. A couple of his crystallography notebooks are at the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum.
I assume that Sam Gordon, the famous collector and mineralogist from Philadelphia, is also included in the photo, over on the left side.
See you in Rochester,
Susan Robinson

[Roy Starkey]

Thanks - glad it has generated some interest.

I'm looking forward to Rochester Susan.

Roy