Prof Thomas Stanley Westoll, FRS[1]FRSE, FGSFLS LLD (3 July 1912 – 19 September 1995) was a British geologist, and the long-time head of the Department of Geology at Newcastle University.
He was born in West Hartlepool the son of Horace Stanley Raine Westoll. He was educated at the West Hartlepool Grammar School. He then studied Sciences on a scholarship at Durham University, specialising in geology and palaeontology, graduating BSc in 1932.[2]
Continuing as a postgraduate he gained his first doctorate (PhD) in 1934 from research on Permian fishes. In 1937 he began lecturing in Geology and Mineralogy at Aberdeen University, his central interest being the study of fossil fish. In 1943 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Robert MacFarlane Neill, Thomas Phemister, Ernest Cruickshank, and James Robert Matthews. Aberdeen University awarded him his second doctorate (DSc).[3]
In 1948 he left Aberdeen to return to England as Professor of Geology at the University of Newcastle, staying there until his retirement in 1977. In retirement he remained as a research fellow and Chairman of Convocation.[4]
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in March 1952.[1][5] The citation on his application read: "Westoll is a palaeontologist who by his description of new materials and by the introduction of new and fertile ideas into the interpretation of the structure of early fossil vertebrates has greatly increased our understanding of the problems they present. He has introduced new views about the origins of the pectoral fins of craniates and of the Tetrapod limb. He has clarified our ideas about the homologies of the dermal skull bones of vertebrates and made a new and convincing comparison between the skulls of Amphibia and Fish. He has made important contributions towards the solution of the old problems of the origin of the mammalian palate and ear. His monograph of the Haplolepidae sets a new standard for taxonomic work on fossil fish".[6]
He was on the council of the Royal Society and from 1972 to 1974 was President of the Geological Society of London.
He died in Newcastle upon Tyne on 19 September 1995.
Familyedit
He married twice: firstly in 1939 to Dorothy Cecil Isobel Wood, then, following divorce in 1951, in 1952 he married Barbara Swanson McAdie.[7]
Research interestsedit
His research interests were wide-ranging, but he is best known for his work on the evolution of fish. The development of the tetrapod limb and issues with the Silurian-Devonian boundary were some of the topics which occupied him. Throughout a long academic career he made forceful and important contributions in these and other fields.
thomas, stanley, westoll, prof, frse, july, 1912, september, 1995, british, geologist, long, time, head, department, geology, newcastle, university, contents, education, career, family, research, interests, publications, references, external, linkseducation, c. Prof Thomas Stanley Westoll FRS 1 FRSE FGS FLS LLD 3 July 1912 19 September 1995 was a British geologist and the long time head of the Department of Geology at Newcastle University Contents 1 Education and career 2 Family 3 Research interests 4 Publications 5 References 6 External linksEducation and career editHe was born in West Hartlepool the son of Horace Stanley Raine Westoll He was educated at the West Hartlepool Grammar School He then studied Sciences on a scholarship at Durham University specialising in geology and palaeontology graduating BSc in 1932 2 Continuing as a postgraduate he gained his first doctorate PhD in 1934 from research on Permian fishes In 1937 he began lecturing in Geology and Mineralogy at Aberdeen University his central interest being the study of fossil fish In 1943 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh His proposers were Robert MacFarlane Neill Thomas Phemister Ernest Cruickshank and James Robert Matthews Aberdeen University awarded him his second doctorate DSc 3 In 1948 he left Aberdeen to return to England as Professor of Geology at the University of Newcastle staying there until his retirement in 1977 In retirement he remained as a research fellow and Chairman of Convocation 4 He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in March 1952 1 5 The citation on his application read Westoll is a palaeontologist who by his description of new materials and by the introduction of new and fertile ideas into the interpretation of the structure of early fossil vertebrates has greatly increased our understanding of the problems they present He has introduced new views about the origins of the pectoral fins of craniates and of the Tetrapod limb He has clarified our ideas about the homologies of the dermal skull bones of vertebrates and made a new and convincing comparison between the skulls of Amphibia and Fish He has made important contributions towards the solution of the old problems of the origin of the mammalian palate and ear His monograph of the Haplolepidae sets a new standard for taxonomic work on fossil fish 6 He was on the council of the Royal Society and from 1972 to 1974 was President of the Geological Society of London He died in Newcastle upon Tyne on 19 September 1995 Family editHe married twice firstly in 1939 to Dorothy Cecil Isobel Wood then following divorce in 1951 in 1952 he married Barbara Swanson McAdie 7 Research interests editHis research interests were wide ranging but he is best known for his work on the evolution of fish The development of the tetrapod limb and issues with the Silurian Devonian boundary were some of the topics which occupied him Throughout a long academic career he made forceful and important contributions in these and other fields A genus or early Permian ray finned fish Westollia White amp Moy Thomas 1940 is named in his honour Publications editStudies on Fossil Vertebrates 1958 Geology of the USSR 1973 References edit a b Patterson C Fortey R A 1999 Thomas Stanley Westoll 3 July 1912 19 September 1995 Elected F R S 1952 Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 45 531 doi 10 1098 rsbm 1999 0035 S2CID 71845120 Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783 2002 PDF The Royal Society of Edinburgh July 2006 ISBN 978 0 902198 84 5 Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 7 April 2019 Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783 2002 PDF The Royal Society of Edinburgh July 2006 ISBN 978 0 902198 84 5 Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 7 April 2019 Thomas Stanley Westoll PDF Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh Archived from the original PDF on 4 October 2006 Retrieved 20 July 2010 Lists of Royal Society Fellows 1660 2007ll London The Royal Society Archived from the original on 24 March 2010 Retrieved 20 July 2010 Library and Archive Catalog London The Royal Society Retrieved 20 July 2010 permanent dead link Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783 2002 PDF The Royal Society of Edinburgh July 2006 ISBN 978 0 902198 84 5 Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 7 April 2019 External links editRoyal Society of Edinburgh Obituaries nbsp This article about an English scientist is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This biographical article about a geologist is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Stanley Westoll amp oldid 1220733761, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
