Educated at Blundell's School[1] and the Royal Military Academy, Portlock entered the Royal Engineers in 1813. In 1814, he took part in frontier operations in Canada. In 1824, he was selected by Lieut-colonel (afterwards Major-General) T.F. Colby (1784–1852) to take part in Ordnance Survey of Ireland. He was engaged for several years in the trigonometrical branch and subsequently compiled information on the physical aspects, geology, and economic products of Ireland, including the Memoir for which he wrote substantial sections on productive economy.
In 1837, he formed at Belfast a geological and statistical office, a museum for geological and zoological specimens, and a laboratory for the examination of soils. The work was then carried on by Portlock as the geological branch of the Ordnance Survey, and the chief results were embodied in his Report on the Geology of the County of Londonderry and of parts of Tyrone and Fermanagh (1843), an elaborate and well-illustrated volume in which he was assisted by Thomas Oldham.
After serving in Corfu and at Portsmouth, he was, in 1849, appointed Commanding Royal Engineer at Cork, and from 1851–1856, he was Inspector of Studies at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. For a short time, commanding officer at Dover, when the Council of Military Education was formed in 1857, he was selected as a member.
During these years of active service, he contributed numerous geological papers to the scientific societies of Dublin and to the British Association. He published, in 1848, a treatise on geology in John Weale's Rudimentary Series (3rd. ed., 1853). He was president of the geological section of the British Association at Belfast (1852) and of the Geological Society of London (1856-1858). He wrote a Memoir of the late Major-General Colby, with a Sketch of the Origin and Progress of the Trigonometrical Survey (reprinted in 1869 from Papers on Subjects connected with the Royal Engineers, vols. iii-v.). He also contributed several articles on military subjects to the 8th edition of the Encyclopaedia. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1837. He died in Dublin on 14 February 1864.
He married twice: firstly Julia Browne at Kilmaine, Co Mayo, Ireland on 24 February 1831, and secondly to Fanny Turner at Cork, Ireland on 11 December 1849. Fanny was the 4th daughter of Major General Charles Turner, KH commander of the Cork District. There was no issue from either marriage.
Bibliographyedit
Portlock, Joseph Ellison (1843). Report on the geology of the county of Londonderry, and of parts of Tyrone and Fermanagh. Ordnance Survey of Ireland.
Portlock, Joseph Ellison (1858). Papers on geometrical drawing: on the arms in use and permanent fortification, on the attack and defence of fortresses, on military mining and the defence of coasts. J. Weale.
Portlock, Joseph Ellison (1869). Memoir of the life of Major-General Colby: R.E., LL.D., F.R.S.L. & E., F.R.A.S., F.G.S., M.R.I.A., etc: together with a sketch of the origin and progress of the ordnance survey of Great Britain and Ireland; a work with which General Colby was connected for forty-five years. Seeley, Jackson & Halliday.
"Obituary: Major-General Joseph Ellison Portlock". Proceedings of Thte Royal Society of London. 14: xii–xvi. 1865.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Portlock, Joseph Ellison". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 122–123.
January 01, 1970
joseph, ellison, portlock, major, general, september, 1794, february, 1864, born, gosport, british, geologist, soldier, only, nathaniel, portlock, captain, royal, navy, born, 1794, september, 1794gosportdied14, february, 1864, 1864, aged, dublinallegianceunite. Major General Joseph Ellison Portlock 30 September 1794 14 February 1864 was born at Gosport and was a British geologist and soldier the only son of Nathaniel Portlock and a captain in the Royal Navy Joseph Ellison PortlockBorn 1794 09 30 30 September 1794GosportDied14 February 1864 1864 02 14 aged 69 DublinAllegianceUnited KingdomService wbr branchOrdnance SurveyYears of service1813 1857RankMajor GeneralBattles warsSiege of Fort Erie 1814AwardsFellow of the Royal Society Educated at Blundell s School 1 and the Royal Military Academy Portlock entered the Royal Engineers in 1813 In 1814 he took part in frontier operations in Canada In 1824 he was selected by Lieut colonel afterwards Major General T F Colby 1784 1852 to take part in Ordnance Survey of Ireland He was engaged for several years in the trigonometrical branch and subsequently compiled information on the physical aspects geology and economic products of Ireland including the Memoir for which he wrote substantial sections on productive economy In 1837 he formed at Belfast a geological and statistical office a museum for geological and zoological specimens and a laboratory for the examination of soils The work was then carried on by Portlock as the geological branch of the Ordnance Survey and the chief results were embodied in his Report on the Geology of the County of Londonderry and of parts of Tyrone and Fermanagh 1843 an elaborate and well illustrated volume in which he was assisted by Thomas Oldham After serving in Corfu and at Portsmouth he was in 1849 appointed Commanding Royal Engineer at Cork and from 1851 1856 he was Inspector of Studies at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich For a short time commanding officer at Dover when the Council of Military Education was formed in 1857 he was selected as a member During these years of active service he contributed numerous geological papers to the scientific societies of Dublin and to the British Association He published in 1848 a treatise on geology in John Weale s Rudimentary Series 3rd ed 1853 He was president of the geological section of the British Association at Belfast 1852 and of the Geological Society of London 1856 1858 He wrote a Memoir of the late Major General Colby with a Sketch of the Origin and Progress of the Trigonometrical Survey reprinted in 1869 from Papers on Subjects connected with the Royal Engineers vols iii v He also contributed several articles on military subjects to the 8th edition of the Encyclopaedia He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1837 He died in Dublin on 14 February 1864 He married twice firstly Julia Browne at Kilmaine Co Mayo Ireland on 24 February 1831 and secondly to Fanny Turner at Cork Ireland on 11 December 1849 Fanny was the 4th daughter of Major General Charles Turner KH commander of the Cork District There was no issue from either marriage Bibliography editPortlock Joseph Ellison 1843 Report on the geology of the county of Londonderry and of parts of Tyrone and Fermanagh Ordnance Survey of Ireland Portlock Joseph Ellison 1849 A rudimentary treatise on geology John Weale Portlock Joseph Ellison 1858 Papers on geometrical drawing on the arms in use and permanent fortification on the attack and defence of fortresses on military mining and the defence of coasts J Weale Portlock Joseph Ellison 1869 Memoir of the life of Major General Colby R E LL D F R S L amp E F R A S F G S M R I A etc together with a sketch of the origin and progress of the ordnance survey of Great Britain and Ireland a work with which General Colby was connected for forty five years Seeley Jackson amp Halliday References edit The Register 1770 1932 Commin 1904 Obituary Major General Joseph Ellison Portlock Proceedings of Thte Royal Society of London 14 xii xvi 1865 nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Portlock Joseph Ellison Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 22 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 122 123 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joseph Ellison Portlock amp oldid 1220730030, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
