Transcript

of

William Pengelly, F.R.S., F.G.S. [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc., 1894, Vol XXVI, pp. 44-49.

by

Rev. W. Harpley

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1894 South Molton meeting. The renowned Mr Pengelly was a geologist and amateur archaeologist and one of the first to contribute proof that the Biblical chronology of the earth calculated by Archbishop James Ussher was incorrect. He was founder of the Torquay Young Men's Society (later the Torquay Mechanics' Institute), the Torquay Natural History Society, and (in 1862) the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Literature, Science, and Art (now The Devonshire Association). He also contributed papers to the Transactions of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. He married his cousin, Mary Ann Mudge, in 1838. They had three children, before she died in 1851. Two years later he married Lydia Spriggs, a member of a Quaker family, and had two daughters. The younger, Hester, became his biographer. She became a writer and, in 1902, married Henry Forbes Julian, a mining engineer, founder of the Royal Automobile Club and co-writer of Cyaniding Gold and Silver Ores. Julian went down with the Titanic. Pengelly's most significant contribution to science was his work on Kent’s Cavern and other caves in Devon and their human occupation. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. There is a portrait of William Pengelly in Wikipedia. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

William Pengelly, F.R.S., F.G.S., was born at East Looe, in Cornwall, January 12th, 1812. At about the age of 26 years he took up his residence at Torquay, where he opened a school, which he carried on for some years on the Pestalozzian system, and was one of the first to introduce the use of the chalk and blackboard in imparting instruction. His influence in school was magical, and he had a marvellous aptitude in communicating information in an attractive form. Any subject which interested him he introduced into school work. Geological studies ever had a charm for him, and in addition to his ardent and long-continued explorations of bone caves, he made large and important contributions to other branches of the science. He was the author of numerous treatises on the Devonian and Triassic rocks of Devonshire, on the Submerged Forests of Devonshire, on St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall, and many other geological subjects. In conjunction with Dr. Heer, of Zurich, he published in 1863 a monograph on " The Lignites of Bovey Tracey," which is regarded as a most valuable scientific work. His assiduity in the collection and arrangement of specimens is testified by the magnificent series of Devonian fossils which, under the title of "The Pengelly Collection," was lodged in 1860 in the Museum of Oxford University, by the Baroness Burdett-Coutts, in connection with the Burdett-Coutts Scholarship; and also by the splendid collection of bones and flint implements from Kent's Cavern, which he placed in the Museum of the Torquay Natural History Society.

Mr. Pengelly was one of the small band of geologists who assisted Falconer, Busk, Lyell, Prestwich, Lartet, Christy, Evans, Rupert Jones, Boyd-Dawkins, and a few others, to place upon a scientific basis that inquiry into the evidence of pre-historic man, which was systematically commenced in this country by the exploration of Brixham Cave in 1858. This work, which was carried out under the auspices of the Royal and Geological Societies by Mr. Pengelly, yielded most important results, and was followed in 1864 by a similar investigation of the historic Kent's Cavern, Torquay (originally partially explored by the Rev. J. McEnery in 1825), and, like the Brixham Cave, carried out with untiring zeal by Mr. Pengelly for a period of more than fifteen years. (See British Association Reports, 1865-1880.)

With remarkable devotion to the task, Mr. Pengelly visited the Cavern daily, to superintend the work of the excavators, and to make notes of the various discoveries. To the Chairman of the Committee, Sir Charles Lyell, and to the British Association, reports were regularly forwarded by him. The discoveries aroused widespread interest, and while the work was in progress large numbers visited the Cavern, including "Royal personages, noblemen, bishops, statesmen, philosophers, scholars, scientists, members of the learned professions, and travellers from various European countries, America, India, and many of the British Colonies." (Transactions Devonshire Association, voL xvi.) It will probably never be known actually how much thought and labour Mr. Pengelly devoted to the work. Speaking upon the receipt of one of the many presentations to him, twenty years ago, he remarked that for nine years he had never, whilst at home, failed a single week-day to visit the Cavern, wherein he laboured five hours a day. But the explorations continued for six years longer, and it is no exaggeration to say that Mr. Pengelly devoted, in the Cavern and in the seclusion of his home, more like ten or more hours a day for fifteen years of his life, to the cause of the science he loved so dearly. But, whatever the demand, whatever the tax, he responded to it with alacrity and cheerfulness. For science he lived, and for science he laboured, even long after the age when the average man seeks rest and quiet. Striking out in original lines of thought, and untramelled by traditions of years long ago, he met with many rebuffs, and the conclusions which he derived from his investigations and minute and patient enquiry were almost laughed to scorn. But he adhered to his work and clung to his belief with enthusiastic devotion, and in the end he lived to see even those who had originally stoutly opposed his views convinced of their verity, and their inestimable value to archaeological and geological science. It was not until June 19th, 1880, that the work came to an end, and that not because the Cavern had been exhausted. In his paper read before this Association at Newton Abbot, in 1884, Mr. Pengelly observed: —

"The Committee, having spent all the money placed at their disposal by the General Committee of the (British) Association, as well as by their private friends, were under the necessity of closing the work and discharging the workmen."

In concluding the last report to the British Association, Mr. Pengelly expressed the thanks of the Committee for continued support during a period of sixteen years, "which had resulted in an instance of cavern exploration without parallel, it is believed, in this, or any other country, for, at least, its continuity and devotion."

Ever eager to foster a love for science among the people, and to encourage studies which had for their object the advancement of scientific knowledge, Mr. Pengelly was especially active as a lecturer, and could easily make himself understood by persons totally ignorant of science. Twenty years ago he travelled through the country, as one of the most acceptable lecturers of the day. His efforts locally were equally successful. In 1837 he was instrumental in establishing the Torquay Mechanics' Institute. Seven years later, together with the late Mr. Vivian and others, he originated the Torquay Natural History Society, of which he was the Honorary Secretary for nearly forty years, and the last of the original founders. In 1862 he started the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature, and Art, of which he was the President in 1867-8. Until the last few years he was the best known figure at the Annual Meetings of the Association, and for a considerable period he regularly contributed papers upon a variety of subjects. Not only did the plan of a County Association, on the lines to a certain extent of the British Association, originate in his fertile brain, but it has been chiefly owing to his instrumentality and careful and judicious organization that the Association has grown and prospered. He managed it financially until physical infirmities compelled him to relinquish the work.

Mr. Pengelly was a regular attendant for many years at the Annual Meetings of the British Association, over the Geological Section of which he was President at the second Plymouth meeting, and for some years served as Secretary. He was elected a Fellow of the Geological Society in 1850, and received the distinction of F.R,S. in 1863. In 1877 he was awarded the "Lyell Geological Fund" by the Council of the Geological Society, and in 1886 the same body conferred upon him the "Lyell Medal" as a mark of honorary distinction, and as an expression of the Council's recognition of his valuable scientific labours. There are other occasions when his valuable and historic labours have been recognised. In December, 1850, at a soiree held in his honour in the rooms of the Torquay Natural History Society he was presented with a valuable telescope. In March, 1857, "in recognition of his indefatigable exertions in promoting the interests of the Mechanics' Institute," was presented to him the Encylopœdia Britannica, In 1874 he was the recipient of a testimonial of between 500 and 600 guineas, subscribed by members of the British Association, the Devon Association, the Torquay Natural History Society, and many other friends, “in recognition of his long and valued services to science generally, and more especially for the exploration of Kent's Cavern, Torquay." Mr. Pengelly in responding on this occasion made a most characteristic remark; he said, " Great as was his pleasure at receiving so valuable a testimonial as that with which he had just been presented, he could assure them that his pleasure was more intense when, after seven-and-a-half-year's enquiry, he was rewarded by finding a tooth of machairodus latidens. (1)

In the summer of 1881, Mr. Pengelly was presented with his portrait, painted by A. S. Cope, which now adorns the library of the Natural History Society's Museum, in Babbacombe Road, Torquay. Upon his retirement in October, 1890, from the Secretaryship of that Society, he received a beautifully illuminated address from the members, who “desire to record the high appreciation of the invaluable services rendered to the Society by Mr. Pengelly, who, for thirty-nine years has fulfilled the onerous duties of Honorary Secretary," at the same time expressing "profound regret at his retirement."

Mr. Pengelly's industry was untiring. He wrote no less than 92 separate memoirs. In all his investigations he had as his guiding principle, the application of strict logic to accurate observation. He has himself left this piece of advice to the student: -

"Be careful in scientific enquiries that you get a sufficient number of perfectly trustworthy facts; that you interpret them with the aid of a rigorous logic; that on suitable occasions you have courage enough to avow your convictions, and don't be impatient, or annoyed, if your friends don't receive all your conclusions, or even if they call you hard names." For three or four years past Mr. Pengelly had suffered much from rheumatism, which is believed to have been induced by exposure during his long explorations of Kent's Cavern. Still further weakened by an affection of the lungs, he took to his bed for the last time on Thursday, the 2nd March. The end came shortly after midnight on Friday, the 17th March, 1894, in the presence of Mrs. Pengelly and his two daughters. Mr. Pengelly was twice married, but all his children by the first wife died; the last, Alfred, being killed while hunting big game in India. In politics  Mr. Pengelly was a moderate Liberal. He was a member of the Society of Friends. Mr. Pengelly was buried at the foot of the grave of the late Mr. Vivian, with whom he was so long associated in scientific pursuits, and whom he survived twelve months all but a few days.

A few words spoken by Mr. P. Q. Karkeek, President of the Torquay Natural History Society, at a meeting of that Society, on the Monday following Mr. Pengelly's decease may fitly close this memoir. He said, "If there was one distinctive trait in Mr. Pengelly's character, it was his thoroughness in everything he undertook. Whether as a citizen, as a professional man, as a scientist, or as a friend, he invariably went straight forward, according to his light. As a citizen he performed his duties, and often indeed more, to his own disadvantage sometimes. As a professional man he was most conscientious and painstaking. As a scientist he was accuracy itself. When he recorded an observation, although others might differ from the conclusions he drew from it, that observation was accepted by the scientific world as a fact, and recorded and treated as such. And lastly, as a friend, he was the embodiment of fidelity, integrity, and generosity. As an organizer, the Torquay Natural History Society and the Devonshire Association witnessed to the soundness of his plans. He had left them an inheritance of no mean value and responsibility."

Reference 
(1) The compiler will perhaps be pardoned for mentioning in this connection a personal reminiscence. He had the pleasure of being Mr. Pengelly's companion at the Meeting of the British Association at Brighton in 1872. While returning from the railway station, whither they had gone together to see after the safe transit of the boxes containing the bones, implements, &c., collected during the previous year's exploration of Kent's Cavern, Mr. Pengelly was suddenly seized with haemorrhage in the throat. This produced a fainting fit, from which happily he speedily recovered, but great weakness ot the throat remained. Mr. Pengelly was induced by medical advice to abstain as much as possible from using his voice during the meeting, and the writer undertook to read his report for him. On reaching that portion which referred to the discovery of the "tooth" Mr. Pengelly, with his characteristic enthusiasm and impulsiveness, seized the MS., and said, "Oh, I must read this at all hazards!" and finished the reading in spite of the pain he suffered, amid the cheers and acclamations of the savans assembled in Section G.